by Karl Marx
First published 1978
In "Lohnarbeit und Kapital", Karl Marx lays bare the exploitative heart of the capitalist system. From the factory floors to the boardrooms, Marx reveals how the wealthy elite extract profit from the labor of the working class. As he dissects the wage-labor relationship, the grim realities of industrial life come into stark focus - long hours, poor conditions, and the ever-present threat of destitution. Yet, Marx also shows how this system perpetuates itself, with workers' very dependence on wages ensuring the continuation of their bondage. Ultimately, this incisive work lays the groundwork for Marx's later, more comprehensive critique of capitalism, offering a clarion call for a more just and equitable society.
Genres: history, 20th-century, economics, non-fiction, 19th-century, academic
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: critique-of-society, social-commentary
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century
63 pages · Paperback