Marx: Key Concepts
Edward Elgar, New Directions in Modern Economics series
Publication Date: 2024 ISBN: 978 1 80088 075 7 Extent: 278 pp
This scholarly book conducts an extensive exploration into the central ideas of Karl Marx, focussing on the key concepts that have defined his thought and legacy. Bringing together a wealth of internationally renowned contributors, across different generations, Marx: Key Concepts analyses in depth Marx’s theories of (surplus) value, money, and capital, and their reception in classical and contemporary economic, sociological and philosophical debates.
Chapters cover Marx’s core writings on the meaning of critique of political economy, materialism, dialectical method, real abstraction, absolute value, money, automatic Subject, reproduction, original accumulation, material interchange, domination, social reproduction, and pre-capitalist modes of production.
Rediscovering the theoretical stratified density of the basic notions in Capital, the book provides crucial insight into the complexity and global significance of Marx’s ideas and their relevance for the understanding of contemporary society, politics and economy. This book will be essential reading for academics, scholars and researchers interested in the history and the methodology of economic thought, social science, political economy, sociology, and political theory.
Critical acclaims
‘In Marx: Key Concepts, fourteen internationally well-known scholars, true experts in Marx”s profound ideas, delve into and amplify the critical concepts of his remarkable thought. This groundbreaking book is an innovative exploration in Marx’s laboratory and a must-read for passionate specialists, enthusiastic activists, and curious readers yearning to unravel the intricate tapestry of our world.’
– Massimiliano Tomba, University of California, Santa Cruz, US
‘This state-of-the-art book is witness to a renaissance of interest in Marx, covering the new directions of emerging research and exploring the liveliness of ongoing debates. The arguments are immensely interesting, supported by sophisticated philosophical understanding and an in-depth knowledge of Marx’s work.’
– Christopher J. Arthur, formerly University of Sussex, UK
Contributors include: Riccardo Bellofiore, Stefano Breda, Emanuela Conversano, Frank Engster, Roberto Fineschi, Bob Jessop, Luca Micaloni, Vittorio Morfino, Kirstin Munro, Chris O’Kane, Gianluca Pozzoni, Tommaso Redolfi Riva, Sebastiano Taccola, Frieder Otto Wolf
Contents
Introduction to Marx: Key Concepts xi
Riccardo Bellofiore and Tommaso Redolfi Riva
1 Critique 1
Tommaso Redolfi Riva
2 Materialism and dialectics 16
Stefano Breda
3 Finite Marxism 32
Frieder Otto Wolf
4 The economic cell form 49
Bob Jessop
5 Absolute value 67
Riccardo Bellofiore
6 Money, measurement and quantification 108
Frank Engster
7 Automatic subject 128
Luca Micaloni
8 Reproduction 145
Roberto Fineschi
9 Primitive accumulation 156
Sebastiano Taccola
10 Domination 169
Chris O’Kane
11 Real abstraction 187
Gianluca Pozzoni
12 Social reproduction 203
Kirstin Munro
13 Material interchange 217
Vittorio Morfino
14 Ethnological notebooks 228
Emanuela Conversano
Mario Cedrini