The origins of anti-capitalism in the young Marx

Vol. 39 No. 4 (2019)

Oct-Dec / 2019
Published October 1, 2019
PDF-English
PDF-English

How to Cite

Chaves Feijó, Ricardo Luis. 2019. “The Origins of Anti-Capitalism in the Young Marx”. Brazilian Journal of Political Economy 39 (4):689-709. https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-31572019-2967.

The origins of anti-capitalism in the young Marx

Ricardo Luis Chaves Feijó
Professor Associado da Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade de Ribeirão Preto – Universidade de São Paulo – Departamento de Economia, Ribeirão Preto/SP, Brasil.
Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 39 No. 4 (2019), Oct-Dec / 2019, Pages 689-709

Abstract

The objective is to demonstrate, based on new biographies, that the essay On the Jewish question revealsan element of anti-Semitism that played a fundamental role in the conversion of Marx to Communism. Criticism of the Jew served to support the Marxian thesis that capitalism, identified with Judaism, is evil. New sources have reinforced the suspicion that not only is there at this time of 1843-44 an element of anti-Semitism in Marx's writings, but that this sentiment played a key role in his conversion to communism. This is what this essay seeks to prove.

JEL Classification: B; B3; B31.


Keywords: Marx anti-Semitism communism civil society State