Marx's Wage Theory in Historical Perspective

Karl Marx's theory of wages and wage labor, elaborated over the course of many years and in various works, is presented here in his own words in its entirety for the first time. Marx's theory is examined also in its historical context: the author traces the development of wage theory from its origins in the 17th century to the critique of it by the early socialists who were Marx's immediate predecessors. In the words of one scholar, this book is "a major contribution to the history of economic thought."