The Economic Doctrines of Karl Marx

work by Kautsky

Also known as: “Karl Marx’ ökonomische Lehren”

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June 25, 2026

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Karl Kautsky's The Economic Doctrines of Karl Marx presents Marx's economic theories, primarily focusing on historical materialism and surplus value. Historical materialism posits that economic activity is the foundation of society, shaping its institutions. Surplus value, a core concept, explains capitalist instability by arguing that capitalists pay workers only enough for subsistence, appropriating the remaining value created by their labor as profit, thus exploiting them. Kautsky's work is seen as a key exposition of "orthodox" Marxism, emphasizing increasing worker pauperization and capitalist concentration, while advocating for peaceful, evolutionary change.1234

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Marxism
The work of Kautsky and Bernstein
…Karl Marx’ ökonomische Lehren (1887; The Economic Doctrines of Karl Marx), in which the work of Marx is presented as essentially an economic theory. Kautsky reduced the ideas of Marx and Marxist historical dialectic to a kind of evolutionism. He laid stress on the increasing pauperization of the working class…
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…Karl Marx’ ökonomische Lehren (1887; The Economic Doctrines of Karl Marx), in which the work of Marx is presented as essentially an economic theory. Kautsky reduced the ideas of Marx and Marxist historical dialectic to a kind of evolutionism. He laid stress on the increasing pauperization of the working class…
Read More