Marx, Karl, philosopher and economist (1818-1883). Autograph letter signed.

London, 20. III. 1872.

8vo. 1 p. on single leaf.

 280.000,00

To the publisher Maurice Lachâtre concerning the dedication "To citizen Karl Marx" heading the first French edition of "Das Kapital" published between 1872 and 1875: "Dans le dernier paragraphe rectifié il y a ces mots 'ne se laisseront pas arrêter dans leur lecture par l’exposition de vos méthodes analytiques'. Il y a ici un malentendu. Je n’expose pas ma méthode mais je l’applique dès le commencement, mais son application, dans les premiers chapitres, à l’analyse de la 'marchandise', 'la valeur', 'l’argent' est par la nature de la chose elle-même un peu difficile à suivre. Mais c’est facile de changer 'ne se laisseront pas arrêter dans leur lecture par l’application de votre méthode analytique aux premières notions de l’économie politique qui par leur nature même sont très abstraites' - ou quelque chose comme ça - nous aurions avec cela fini avec les préliminaires. Ma photographie sera faite demain [...]" ("The last revised paragraph reads 'they will not let themselves be stopped from reading by the explication of your analytical methods'. This is a misunderstanding. I do not explain my method but I apply it from the beginning, but its application in the first chapters, analysing the 'commodity', 'value', 'money' is in the nature of things themselves somewhat difficult to follow. But it is easy to change to 'they will not let themselves be stopped from reading by the application of your analytical methods in the first notions of the political economy, which are by their nature very abstract' - or something similar - then we will be finished with the preliminaries. My photograph will be taken tomorrow [...]"). For the final version of the paragraph in question, Lachâtre rephrased Marx's suggestion more elegantly.

With a facsimile of Marx' letter "To citizen Maurice La Châtre", dated London, 18 March 1872, that was included among the preliminaries to the French edition of "Das Kapital" immediately before the editor's letter to Marx.

Slightly creased and buckled in the lower left corner.

Literatur

Not in: Marx/Engels, Werke vol. 33 (Briefe Juli 1870 - Dezember 1874).