Marx developed an understanding of how capitalism works as a guide to political action. His analysis of the relationships between economic and political power, class and inequality, accumulation and globalisation, exploitation and oppression, struggle and social change still provide insights into contemporary societies, despite changes in technologies and the details of capitalist organisation of production (whose dynamics he considered).

Through the course we develop our understanding of key Marxist concepts and their application to current problems. In seminars we discuss important Marxist texts, mainly by Marx and Engels, their historical context and contemporary relevance. Lectures provide background to these texts and their relationship to Marxist theory and practice. Issues we cover include: class; the Marxist conception of socialism as the self-emancipation of the working class; globalisation; alienation; Marx's integration of earlier radical democratic and socialist traditions; economic crisis; the place of revolution in Marx's approach to the supercession of capitalism.

Seminar introduction paper (1000 words) (10 - 20 %), Course Diary (35 - 45%), Research Essay (3,000 words) (45 - 55%)

Two first-year courses in Political Science, or Sociology, or Anthropology, or Philosophy, or History, or with the permission of the lecturer

Callinicos, A. The revolutionary ideas of Karl Marx, Bookmarks, 1995.