A world to win : the life and thought of karl marx

Epic new biography of Karl Marx for the 200th anniversary of his birth In this essential new biography — the first to give equal weight to both the work and life of Karl Marx — Sven-Eric Liedman expertly navigates the imposing, complex personality of his subject through the turbulent passages of global history. A World to Win follows Marx through childhood and student days, a difficult and sometimes tragic family life, his far-sighted journalism, and his enduring friendship and intellectual partnership with Friedrich Engels. Building on the work of previous biographers, Liedman employs a commanding knowledge of the nineteenth century to create a definitive portrait of Marx and his vast contribution to the way the world understands itself. He shines a light on Marx's influences, explains his political and intellectual interventions, and builds on the legacy of his thought. Liedman shows how Marx's masterpiece, Capital , illuminates the essential... "The globalized world of the twenty-first century has many parallels with that of the period running up to the cataclysm of 1914, namely the world predicted by Karl Marx. Communications go that much faster, but this is a difference of degree, not type. People, messages, and ideas are flung around the globe. Money circulates in a never-ceasing torrent, poverty lives side by side with wealth, and capital exercises its impersonal power over each and every one of us. In this world, Karl Marx - blunt and straightforward enough to inspire criticism of the latest exploits of capitalism, the failings of politics, and the genuflection of those in power before fetishes like The Market - lives on. Despite nearly 200 years having passed since his birth, his burning criticism of capitalism remains of immediate interest today. The texts he left behind gave rise to what would come to be called Marxism, but that was a term he rejected. His approach - enormous amounts of reading and writing, integrating new discoveries from the various sciences into his analyses of society - was a far cry from how his theories would come to be used in states where only one, party-approved interpretation was allowed. Now, more than ever before, these texts can be read in their own right. In addition to providing a living picture of Marx the man, his life, and his family and friends - as well as his lifelong collaboration with Frederick Engels - Sweden's leading intellectual historian Sven-Eric Liedman, in this major new account of his life and thought, shows what Karl Marx the thinker and researcher really wrote, demonstrating that this giant of the nineteenth century can still exert a powerful attraction for the inhabitants of the twenty-first."-- Provided by publisher "The globalized world of the twenty-first century has many parallels with that of the period running up to the cataclysm of 1914, namely the world predicted by Karl Marx. Communications go that much faster, but this is a difference of degree, not type. People, messages, and ideas are flung around the globe. Money circulates in a never-ceasing torrent, poverty lives side by side with wealth, and capital exercises its impersonal power over each and every one of us. In this world, Karl Marx--blunt and straightforward enough to inspire criticism of the latest exploits of capitalism, the failings of politics, and the genuflection of those in power before fetishes like The Market--lives on. Despite nearly 200 years having passed since his birth, his burning criticism of capitalism remains of immediate interest today. The texts he left behind gave rise to what would come to be called Marxism, but that was a term he rejected. His approach--enormous amounts of reading and writing, integrating new discoveries from the various sciences into his analyses of society--was a far cry from how his theories would come to be used in states where only one, party-approved interpretation was allowed. Now, more than ever before, these texts can be read in their own right. In addition to providing a living picture of Marx the man, his life, and his family and friends--as well as his lifelong collaboration with Frederick Engels--Sweden's leading intellectual historian Sven-Eric Liedman, in this major new account of his life and thought, shows what Karl Marx the thinker and researcher really wrote, demonstrating that this giant of the nineteenth century can still exert a powerful attraction for the inhabitants of the twenty-first."-- Résumé de l'éditeur The Globalised World Of The Twenty-first Century Has Many Parallels With That Of The Period Running Up To The Cataclysm Of 1914, Namely The World Predicted By Karl Marx. Communications Go That Much Faster, But This Is A Difference Of Degree, Not Type. People, Messages, And Ideas Are Flung Around The Globe. Money Circulates In A Never-ceasing Torrent, Poverty Lives Side By Side With Wealth, And Capital Exercises Its Impersonal Power Over Each And Every One Of Us. In This World, Karl Marx Blunt And Straightforward Enough To Inspire Criticism Of The Latest Exploits Of Capitalism, The Failings Of Politics, And The Genuflection Of Those In Power Before Fetishes Like The Market ' Lives On. Despite Nearly 200 Years Having Passed Since His Birth, His Burning Condemnation Of Capitalism Remains Of Immediate Interest Today. The Texts He Left Behind Gave Rise To What Would Come To Be Called Marxism, But That Was A Term He Rejected. His Approach Enormous Amounts Of Reading And Writing, Integrating New Discoveries From The Various Sciences Into His Analyses Of Society Was A Far Cry From How His Theories Would Come To Be Used In States Where Only One, Party-approved Interpretation Was Allowed. Now, More Than Ever Before, These Texts Can Be Read For What They Truly Are. In Addition To Providing A Living Picture Of Marx The Man, His Life, And His Family And Friends As Well As His Lifelong Collaboration With Friedrich Engels Sweden 's Leading Intellectual Historian Sven-eric Liedman, In This Major New Biography, Shows What Karl Marx The Thinker And Researcher Really Wrote, Demonstrating That This Giant Of The Nineteenth Century Can Still Exert A Powerful Attraction For The Inhabitants Of The Twenty-first. Epic new biography of Karl Marx for the 200th anniversary of his birth In this essential new biography—the first to give equal weight to both the work and life of Karl Marx—Sven-Eric Liedman expertly navigates the imposing, complex personality of his subject through the turbulent passages of global history. A World to Win follows Marx through childhood and student days, a difficult and sometimes tragic family life, his far-sighted journalism, and his enduring friendship and intellectual partnership with Friedrich Engels. Building on the work of previous biographers, Liedman employs a commanding knowledge of the nineteenth century to create a definitive portrait of Marx and his vast contribution to the way the world understands itself. He shines a light on Marx’s influences, explains his political and intellectual interventions, and builds on the legacy of his thought. Liedman shows how Marx’s masterpiece, Capital, illuminates the essential logic of a system that drives dizzying wealth, grinding poverty, and awesome technological innovation to this day. Compulsively readable and meticulously researched, A World to Win demonstrates that, two centuries after Marx’s birth, his work remains the bedrock for any true understanding of our political and economic condition. This essential Karl Marx biography expertly weaves the complex personality of the legendary thinker through the turbulent passage of global history. The first biography to give equal weight to both the work and life of Karl Marx, A World to Win follows Marx through childhood and student days, a difficult and sometimes tragic family life, his far-sighted journalism, and his enduring friendship and intellectual partnership with Friedrich Engels. Building on the work of previous biographers, Liedman employs a commanding knowledge of the 19th century to create a definitive portrait of Marx and his vast contribution to the way the world understands itself. He shines a light on Marx’s influences, explains his political and intellectual interventions, and builds on the legacy of his thought. Liedman shows how Marx’s masterpiece, Capital , illuminates the essential logic of a system that drives dizzying wealth, grinding poverty, and awesome technological innovation to this day. Compulsively readable and meticulously researched, A World to Win demonstrates that Marx’s work remains the bedrock for any true understanding of our political and economic condition, even two centuries after his death. Karl Marx has fascinated and inspired generations of radicals in the past 200 years. In this new, definitive biography, Sven-Eric Liebman makes his work live once more for a new generation. Despite 200 years having passed since his birth, his burning condemnation of capitalism remains of immediate interest. Now, more than ever before, Marx's texts can be read for what they truly are. In addition to providing a living picture of Marx the man, his life, and his family and friends - as well as his lifelong collaboration with Friedrich Engels - Sweden's leading intellectual historian Sven-Eric Liedman, in this major new biography, shows what Karl Marx the thinker and researcher really wrote, demonstrating that this giant of the nineteenth century can still exert a powerful attraction for the inhabitants of the twenty-first.