The theory of alienation occupies a significant place in the work of Marx and has long been considered one of his main contributions to the critique of bourgeois society. Many authors who have written on this concept over the 20th century have erroneously based their interpretations on Marxs early writings. In this anthology, by contrast, Marcello Musto has concentrated his selection on the most relevant pages of Marxs later economic works, in which his thoughts on alienation were far more extensive and detailed than those of the early philosophical manuscripts. Additionally, the writings collated in this volume are unique in their presentation of not only Marxs critique of capitalism, but also his description of communist society. This comprehensive rediscovery of Marxs ideas on alienation provides an indispensable critical tool for both understanding the past and the critique of contemporary society.
