Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844

Interesting Facts

• The book is one of the first works where Karl Marx begins to develop his ideas on human nature and alienation in capitalist society.
• In the manuscripts, Marx introduces the concept of labor alienation for the first time, explaining how workers become estranged from the product of their labor, the production process, their essence, and each other.
• Marx examines economic categories such as wages, profit, and capital from a philosophical perspective, linking them to human essence and freedom.
• The work was written during a period when Marx was influenced by German classical philosophy, especially Hegel and Feuerbach, which is evident in his analysis of alienation.
• The manuscripts were not published during Marx's lifetime and became widely available only in 1932, significantly impacting the development of Marxist philosophy in the 20th century.
• The book contains a critique of the political economy of its time, particularly the works of Adam Smith and David Ricardo, and lays the groundwork for the further development of critical theory.