2026-03-05
Marx in English
In English, Marx comes in waves. 1900s (C.H. Kerr editions), 70s (The Pelican Marx Library), MEGA textual revival (Engels-free Capital Volume III, Paul Reitter’s translation of Capital Volume I).
In the US or the UK there was no Marx-Engels Institute, no academic Ryazanov to dig out the works of Marx. Collected Works arrived only in the 70s, mirroring East German Werke. Marx has a very bizarre legacy, unfolding 100 years after his death. Partly, it’s due to Marx himself who constantly reworked his projects and left a big part of his writings in a form of manuscripts (Manuscripts of 1844, Grundrisse, German Ideology). Given the situation, when there is no definite statement, Engels stepped in to consolidate Marx’s legacy with his own writings. To this day, leftists learn Marx by reading Engels and Lenin. I think, there’s no shame that Marx didn’t build a magnificent final theory. Looking at Marx’s biography, it is a series constant break ups, attacks on closest allies, constant drive of self-clarification. If Marx was more agreeable, more dedicated to stick with his group, to work on the present project, then we wouldn’t know his name today. All his failed magazines were compensated thousand-fold by Marxist magazines of the 20th century.
To be Marxist is as paradoxical as being a Christian. Christ had no authority to adhere to. Marx never lost a chance to attack his own allies. When we read Engels or even when we reconstruct True Marx from his manuscripts, we only polish the lense, but not employing it. To find inspiration in Marx is to reach same elevation of thought. It is to build your own values and practice them in today’s world.
Marx is only an example of “ruthless critique of everything existing”.
Books
Lawrence and Wishart is the publisher of Marx-Engels Collected Works in English. This publisher is one abomination. First, they sell each volume for 50 dollars. No paperback edition. Then they sent copyright notice to Marxist Internet Archive to remove the MECW from their website - act of infinite irony. Luckily, there is a top secret mirror. Also, a good soul leaked the PDFs of MECW, here they are on RuTracker. MECW can be in a college library or the main branch of public library.
It’s all very good that we can read Marx from the screen, yet, paper book is better. It is here, in your room, waiting for you to read it. You can build your own library with paperback editions of separate works.
First of all, there is a Prometheus Books paperback line. These are reprints of old C.H. Kerr editions.
You can find Prometheus paperbacks on eBay for like 10 dollars. Buy used! Pay attention to condition: Good or Very Good. If a book has a wear, you can salvage it with transparent cover. 8” tall cover will fit Penguin paperbacks. 8 1/2” tall cover will fit the others.
Prometheus paperbacks:
Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 (1988)
The Poverty of Philsophy (1995)
Next, Penguin\Verso editions:
Early Writings (1992): critiques of Hegel; Manuscripts of 1844
Surveys from Exile (2010): The Class Struggles in France; 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte
There is a nice edition of Critique of Gotha Program (2022) by PM Press.
These books may be absent or overpriced. They can be substituted with International Publishers editions.
That’s about it if we talk about full works. If you want a reader with selections, get The Marx-Engels Reader (1978) edited by Robert C. Tucker. Selections are extensive enough to capture the meaning: full chapters. Choice of works is also good: whole range of writings throughout the years.
One more thing. Capital. If you’re an academic guy who likes to stop after each sentence to ponder and reflect, pick the Penguin edition of all three volumes. If you appreciate swift prose, pick the Princeton edition. Don’t buy discounted hardbacks from Amazon. They will send you print on demand crap. Buy it from Princeton Press website. Look up their Facebook page, sometimes they have a site-wide discount. Search “code”.