The Theoretical System of Karl Marx

What it is

This is a book written in 1907 by Louis B. Boudin, an American socialist lawyer, examining the theoretical system of Karl Marx's economics and social thought. It began as a series of magazine articles responding to debates within socialist movements of the time.

Why it matters

Written over twenty years after Marx's death, this book shows how his ideas continued to be debated, defended, and revised by later thinkers. It reflects the arguments among early twentieth-century socialists over how to interpret and apply Marx's theories.

Look closer

• Why does Boudin say his readers were unprepared for a discussion of this subject?
• What does the existence of this book tell us about disagreements among Marx's followers?
• How might a book written decades after Marx's death differ from Marx's own writing?