An Introduction to Karl Marx

A concise and comprehensive introduction to Marx''s social political and economic thought for the beginning student. Jon Elster surveys in turn each of the main themes of marxist thought: methodology alienation economics exploitation historical materialism classes politics and ideology; in a final chapter he assesses ''what is living and what is dead in the philosophy of Marx''. The emphasis throughout is on the analytical structure of Marx''s arguments and the approach is at once sympathetic undogmatic and rigorous.