Welcome to the blog for "Reading Das Kapital", a reading group organized in conjunction with the Edmonton Free School to read through Volume 1 of Marx's Capital. Published in 1867 after years of research, Capital offers us a thorough critique of the system of capitalist production and exchange, in other words, the system of capitalist alienation and exploitation. Marx's Capital became, for generations of left-wing radicals and revolutionaries, the foundation of their understanding of the capitalist system, exposing the ways in which capitalism of necessity exploits labor for profits and, in doing so, creates a culture of alienation, greed, and selfishness which is the world we know today.

After having been consigned to the "dustbin of history" following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Marxism is more and more relevant today as modern capitalism proves incapable of dealing with the crises of its own creation. The 2008 financial crisis is only the latest and so far most acute crisis, but there have been others and there will be more. The resurgence of interest in Marx's writings is due in no small part to a recognition that capitalism has lied in its promise of an increased standard of living for all and a world free of war and want.

Time and place of the reading group have yet to be decided. Watch this space for updates on the reading group, and hopefully notes and discussion following on from discussion the group has in person.

Sam.