I used to know this but it escapes me… so, the first edition of Capital v1 had a different opening section (some comments on this here). Marx revised and expanded the opening later, incorporating an appendix into those opening chapters. I know at some point I ran across a citation for an english translation of the first version of the opening section of volume 1, but now I can’t find. I’m once again intensely curious about this and interested in reading the first edition intro. Does this ring any bells for anyone? Any help finding this text?
October 7, 2009
… is the answer to this marxological issue?
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Hey Nate - there’s a side-by-side English-German translation/comparison at Hans Ehrbar’s site (which is just an amazing site anyway…). The annotations discuss how the chapter compares to later editions of Capital (as a result, the document is some 208 pages long… ;-P, but you can’t fault it for comprehensiveness…). Aside from comparing editions of Capital, the annotations also provide a sort of critical realist read of the text. Hope this helps…
Comment by N. Pepperell — October 7, 2009 @ 3:48 am
Hey Nate, you’re looking for:
Karl Marx, ‘The Commodity, Chapter One, Volume One of the first edition of
Capital’ in Value: Studies by Karl Marx, trans. A. Dragstedt, New Park, London
1976,
also:
Marx. K., The Value Form, Appendix to Chapter I of the first edition of Vol. I of Das Kapital (1867). Translated in Capital and Class No. 4.
republished in Mohun (ed.) Debates in Value Theory
But you really need to get yourself some German and French, and read the MEGA critical edition which has all the versions, including the important French version to which Marx made many additions.
bon courage!
Comment by J Clegg — October 7, 2009 @ 8:14 am
A bit off-topic, but anyway:
Speaking of different versions of Capital. Oxford University Press has published an abridged version of Capital vol 1, edited by David McLellan. It “offers virtually all of Volume 1″ - but does anybody know what it leaves out? I need an english translation of Capital (I am used to reading it in danish) and would like to know if it is a reasonable alternative to the penguin edition as it is easier getting hold of.
/Mads
Comment by MadsLJ — October 7, 2009 @ 10:20 am
Thanks NP, John, and nice to hear from you.
Comment by Nate — October 10, 2009 @ 10:11 pm