A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy

The Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 explores the relationship between labor and survival under capitalism, highlighting how individuals become dependent on wages for their basic needs. Marx contrasts this with earlier societies where people relied on nature for sustenance. In modern times, the necessity of work to earn money leads to a form of enslavement, where individuals merely survive rather than truly live, emphasizing the profound impact of economic structures on human existence.