LECTURE 7: Relative Surplus-Value (Chapters 12, 13, 14)

Karl Marx’s Capital remains the most important theoretical work explaining the capitalist mode of production from a working class and socialist perspective.

The Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice (CSSGJ) is pleased to host a series of monthly lectures on Volume 1 of Marx’s Capital, given by political-economist and activist Dr Andy Higginbottom, as well as a weekly reading group throughout 2022.

Starting on 7th February the lectures introduce each part of Volume 1, with emphasis on:

• how Marx uses revolutionary dialectics to control shifts in the levels of abstraction between production and circulation, essence and appearance.

• how we might apply and develop Marx’s concepts to address contemporary issues of global capitalist injustice: especially inequalities and labour super-exploitation.

• the need to continue on to study Capital as a whole, all three volumes – to fully realise its potential in analysing concrete reality.

Starting on 22nd February the reading group will be a participatory learning process to:

• study the text closely and methodically, engaging with Marx’s exposition as it develops

• work with the key concepts, discussing a multitude of examples

• appreciate the structure of Volume 1 and how that fits into the overall arc of Capital.

Today's LECTURE 7 will focus on Part 4 of Chapter's 12, 13 and 14 of Capital Volume 1.

To discover more about the Capital lecture series, the full handbook and timetabling/schedule for reading groups, go to our website at www.cssgj.com.