Capital Condensed

'The book is a triumph, recommended for anyone new to Marx or not so new, who wants a concentrated summary of Marx’s argument'
Bill Jefferies in Marx and Philosophy

‘I think it will make a good educator for activists who are not familiar with economics - and that is very difficult to achieve’
Michael Roberts, author of The Long Depression and Marx 200: a review of Marx’s economics

'Perfect for anyone Marx-curious in your life!’
Jamila Squire, co-editor of A Thousand Little Machines

Colin Chalmers has written a clear, easy to read, short version of the three (very long) volumes of Karl Marx's Capital. Step by step he takes the reader through Marx's categories and definitions, and how they build into the complex web of modern capitalism. There's also a very useful glossary at the back. I only wish this book had been around 25 years ago when I was trying to wade through the original.’
James Clammer, author of Insignificance

Capital Condensed is a short, step-by-step guide to the three volumes of Capital for the time poor activist, curious student or general reader. If you want to understand Marx’s investigation into how capital has grown to dominate our planet and must be superseded for humanity to survive this is the book for you.


CONTENTS
Introduction • 1 Commodities and money • 2 Capital and labour power • 3 Exploitation • 4 Productivity • 5 Subsumption • 6 Wages • 7 Accumulation • 8 Origins • 9 Circulation • 10 Turnover time • 11 Reproduction • 12 Profit • 13 Competition • 14 The falling rate of profit • 15 Commerce • 16 Interest and fictitious capital • 17 Rent • 18 Appearance and reality • Want to discuss Capital? • Categories • References

 

Colin Chalmers wrote for the anti-capitalist direct action newsletter SchNEWS. You can get in touch with Colin at colin@capitalcondensed.net or through Facebook.

Capital Condensed is available as an audiobook from Audible, Amazon and Apple Books. To accompany the audiobook here are a list of the categories used in the book with their meanings, the quotes from Marx’s Capital used in the book, some circuits and equations used in the book and references.

You can order Capital Condensed from any bookshop

Capital Condensed is published by Beachy Head Press