Capital: a Critique of Political Economy.

Chicago: Charles H. Kerr & Company,, [undated]-1907-1909. The core text of Marxism First editions in English, first printings, of volumes II and III of Das Kapital, with a first edition, later printing, of volume I, together forming the complete work. Marx's polemical masterpiece, Das Kapital was the culmination of nearly 25 years of research, and represents the most significant and influential analysis of capitalism ever written. The first volume of Das Kapital was published in German in 1867, and first translated into English by Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling in 1887. This edition follows that translation for the first volume, revised in light of Engels's fourth German edition; the earliest printing of the volume is dated 1906, here undated. The second and third volumes were published in German in 1885 and 1894 respectively. They are here first translated into English by Ernest Untermann. "The history of the twentieth century is Marx's legacy. Stalin, Mao, Che, Castro - the icons and monsters of the modern age have all presented themselves as his heirs. Whether he would recognise them as such is quite another matter... Nevertheless, within one hundred years of his death half the world's population was ruled by governments that professed Marxism to be their guiding faith. His ideas have transformed the study of economics, history, geography, sociology and literature. Not since Jesus Christ has an obscure pauper inspired such global devotion - or been so calamitously misinterpreted" (Francis Wheen, in his introduction to Karl Marx, 1999). Three volumes, octavo. Original red cloth, spines ruled and lettered in gilt, blindstamp rule borders to covers. Neat stamp of "H. H. King" to front free endpaper of vol. II and title of vol. III. Very light rubbing at extremities, spine of vol. I with white mark, spine of vol. II a little dulled, light spotting to endpapers and edges: a very good set. Rubel 633, 635-6