I have decided I need to read capital in it's entirety. How should I go about this? From what I have read it looks dry, difficult and of course long but simultaneously it is essential reading. Does anyone have any recommendations for guides or companions which shoe in as little of their own analysis as possible or are at least clear about when they are doing so?
I've heard some good things about David Harvey's comparisons but my trot friends react violently and I get the impression they may be right. Reading capital with said trot friends is not an option as they seem more concerned with converting me than actual discussion.
just read it, it's not that hard. reading commentary will inevitably skew your perception of it.
Samuel Foster
>>>/marx/7739
James Roberts
stay away from harvey, he literally denies that Marx believed in the LTV, and believes that the global south is imperialist on Britain
David Bell
If you feel intimidated start by wathing kapital101's "Law of Value" series on youtube. After that it is better to jump in and just power through it. Just read the whole thing through even if you have trouble with some things. You can always read it again for more depth
Zachary Howard
Why don't you just read the Manga version?
Nolan Kelly
Capital is a long and often dry work that will require serious time and energy to understand. But remember - the concepts themselves that Marx discusses are not overly complicated. Marx's arguments often seem difficult because he makes great efforts to explain each simple concept in a 3-dimensional way. This means that Marx might take 2-3 pages to discuss what is really only one key concept.
My advice is this: 1. Read a physical copy of the book. Either borrow from a library (if available) or better yet buy your own copy. You could probably find one in a used book store. Having a physical copy will make it much easier to flip through the pages, compare passages, and write your own notes in the margin.
2. Write notes to summarize each section as you read. This practice will force your mind to digest the information instead of simply skimming through the book without retaining anything.
3. If your version of the book has a long introduction by Ernest Mandel or another Marxist writer - skip it. The introduction isn't necessary and will just add time to your goal of finishing the book.
4. Marx uses a lot of terminology we don't see every day. It will probably be necessary for you to look up definitions as you read. marxists.org/glossary/frame.htm
4. Finally, if you're expecting some kind of grand political treatise describing a worker's revolution - this isn't it. Marx's Capital is his theory of capitalism and its "laws of motion." Capital is about capitalism as an economic system and that's pretty much it.
