Page:Karl Marx The Man and His Work.pdf/99

Rh Profit," "The Class Struggle," "A Critique to Political Economy," etc., the student is well ground and at home in the Socialist and scientific terminology, also in the elements of Marxian Economics, and should, therefore, experience no difficulties in the study of such portions of the work dealing primarily with the investigation and analysis of capitalist production in its pure economic form. The first Chapter of Part I can be defined as the bedrock of Socialist Economics. In the four sections composing this masterly treatise on Commodities, the basic principles and substance of Marxian Economics are: laid down. In this chapter such highly important subjects as The two Factors of a Commodity, Use Value and Value (the Substance of Value and the Magnitude of Value), The Twofold Character of the Labor embodied in Commodities, The Form of Value or Exchange Value and The Fetishism of Commodities are subjected to an examination, the findings resulting there-from elucidated and formulated in concise statements and accurate deductions. A mastery of the first ninety-six pages of "Capital" is, consequently, essential for an intelligent understanding of the remaining chapters in the book; because such a mastery equips the student with a faculty of scientific conception and differentiation quite conducive and necessary to further progress; again, the fact of being at home in the labyrinth of theoretical definitions and economic complexities constituting the groundwork of Marxian Economics is in itself an invaluable asset to the future intellectual labors of the student, and implies, without exaggeration, a knowledge of the quintessential principles of Marxism. Once the student has a correct conception of such familiar terms as Wealth, Value, Use Value, Exchange Value, Commodity, Labor Power, Surplus Value, Capital, etc., the hardest or most irksome part of the task can be considered accomplished. The remaining chapters in the work can now be taken up and studied in their regular order, including a re—reading of those previously studied, and the student should, relatively considered, experience no exceptional difficulties in his work.