Marx : A Complete Introduction

The most student-focused introduction on the market.

Is this the right book for me?

Marx: A Complete Introduction will familiarize you with the revolutionary thinking of this significant man. It will take you through all the essential concepts - from class struggle to dialectical materialism. Expressing Marx's sometimes complex ideas in simple terms, and backed up with references to his own texts, this book gives you everything you need to know.

Marx: A Complete Introduction includes:

Chapter 1: Marx's early life

Europe at the time of Marx

The early life of Marx

University life

Life as a journalist

The Communist Manifesto

Exile

Chapter 2: Marx's later life

The move to London

Family life in London

Marx and Engels

Work in London

Das Kapital

The International

The later years

Chapter 3: Marx and philosophy

A brief history of philosophy

Which philosophers influenced Marx?

Ancient Greek philosophers

European philosophy

Utopian Socialists

Revolutionaries and anarchists

The importance of Hegel and Feuerbach

How did Marx differ from those who went before?

Political economy

What part did Engels play?

Chapter 4: Economic theory

Dialectical materialism, historical materialism and economy

The capitalist economy

Commodities

Theory of surplus value

Profit and the division of labour

Capitalism in crisis

Falling wages and profits

Social labour

Accumulation and crisis

Centralization of the economy

Was Marx right about the economy?

Chapter 5: Economy and society

Imperialism and colonialism

Fetishism

Exploitation

Chapter 6: Class, class struggle and revolution

Introduction

The development of capitalist society

Dialectical materialism and class structure

Class in the capitalist society

Ideology

Class struggle

Workers' power and education

The Communist League and class struggle

The International Working Men's Association

Is revolution inevitable?

Chapter 7: Further Marxist thought

After the revolution

Communist society

Religion

Women's rights and the family

Art and culture

Freedom and the individual

Chapter 8: Marxism after Marx - ideas that changed the world

The spread of Marxist thought

The development of socialism

Russian communism

Chinese communism

The Cold War

The decline of communism

Has Marxism failed?

Chapter 9: Marxism after Marx - the development of Marxist thought

Types of Marxism

Where does Marx fit in?

Is Marxism relevant in the twenty-first century?

The future

Learn effortlessly with a new easy-to-read page design and interactive features:

Author insights

Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience. Test yourself Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. Five things to remember Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. Try this Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

About the Author

Gill Hands has always been interested in all aspects of social history. After training as a teacher of English and History, she worked in Adult Training, where she began teaching adults with disabilities as well as those who had missed out on formal education for various reasons. She was also instrumental in setting up three women's groups and a small press to give women in rural areas a voice. It was from working with these varied people that she acquired the skill of breaking complex subjects down into easier steps and clarifying difficult concepts. She has worked as a freelance writer for many years, including writing a beginner's Guides to Marx. Like him, she believes that education is one of the first steps in the liberation of the individual.