Das Kapital.: Kritik der politischen Oekonomie. Zweiter Band. Buch II: Der Cirkulationsprocess des Kapitals. Herausgeben von Friedrich Engels.

Hamburg: Otto Meissner,, 1885. The second volume of Das Kapital, finished by Engels First edition of the second volume of Das Kapital. Only the first volume of Das Kapital was published in Marx's lifetime, in 1867. Following Marx's death in 1883, the second and third volumes were edited from Marx's manuscripts and seen through the press by Friedrich Engels, with the present second volume published in 1885, and the third volume in 1894. Together they form the most significant and influential critique of capitalism ever published, with Das Kapital becoming the bible of Marxist movements and governments in the following century. "The history of the twentieth century is Marx's legacy. Stalin, Mao, Che, Castro - the icons and monsters of the modern age have all presented themselves as his heirs. Whether he would recognise them as such is quite another matter... Nevertheless, within one hundred years of his death half the world's population was ruled by governments that professed Marxism to be their guiding faith. His ideas have transformed the study of economics, history, geography, sociology and literature. Not since Jesus Christ has an obscure pauper inspired such global devotion - or been so calamitously misinterpreted" (Francis Wheen, in his introduction to Karl Marx, 1999). Octavo (219 x 139 mm). Twentieth century blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt, red speckled edges. Binding rubbed, stamp of "The Adam Smith Class Library" on p. iii and 25, some leaves unopened, stain at fore edge encroaching into margin but not into text, 4 cm closed tear to pp. 301/2 just impinging on text and at head of 409-12 not affecting text, terminal imprint leaf chipped round extremities. A good copy. Einaudi 3772; Mattioli 2284; Rubel 635; Sraffa 3867.