An Introduction to Karl Marx [Paperback]

A concise and comprehensive introduction to Marx's social, political and economic thought.A critical introduction to Marx's social, political and economic thought that stresses the relevance and importance of many of the philosopher's theories. It can be considered a standard basic reference work for the study of Marx in conjunction with the author's companion selection of Marx's writings, Karl Marx: A Reader.A critical introduction to Marx's social, political and economic thought that stresses the relevance and importance of many of the philosopher's theories. It can be considered a standard basic reference work for the study of Marx in conjunction with the author's companion selection of Marx's writings, Karl Marx: A Reader.A concise and comprehensive introduction to Marx's social, political and economic thought for the beginning student. Jon Elster surveys in turn each of the main themes of marxist thought: methodology, alienation, economics, exploitation, historical materialism, classes, politics, and ideology; in a final chapter he assesses 'what is living and what is dead in the philosophy of Marx'. The emphasis throughout is on the analytical structure of Marx's arguments and the approach is at once sympathetic, undogmatic, and rigorous.Preface; 1. Overview; 2. Marxist methodology; 3. Alienation; 4. Marxian economics; 5. Exploitation; 6. Historical materialism; 7. Class consciousness and class struggle; 8. Marx's theory of politics; 9. The Marxist critique of ideology; 10. What is living and what is dead in the philosophy of Marx?