Kapitalen. by MARX, Karl - 1885 & 1887: Første Bind. Kapitalens Produktionsproces. Oversat efter Originalens tredje Oplag; Anden Del. Kapitalens Cirkulationsproces. Udgivet efter Forsatterens Død af Friedrich Engels.

Copenhagen: N. Cohens Bogtrykkeri,, 1885 & 1887. Capital in Danish First edition in Danish of Das Kapital. Marx's seminal work first appeared in German in 1867, and the first translation of the work was that into Russian (1872). The first English translation appeared after the Danish, in 1887. "The history of the twentieth century is Marx's legacy. Stalin, Mao, Che, Castro - the icons and monsters of the modern age have all presented themselves as his heirs. Whether he would recognise them as such is quite another matter... Nevertheless, within one hundred years of his death half the world's population was ruled by governments that professed Marxism to be their guiding faith. His ideas have transformed the study of economics, history, geography, sociology and literature. Not since Jesus Christ has an obscure pauper inspired such global devotion - or been so calamitously misinterpreted" (Francis Wheen, in his introduction to Karl Marx, 1999). 2 volumes in 1, quarto. Modern red buckram, spine lettered in gilt, top edge sprinkled black. Without the half-titles ("Socialistisk Bibliotek Vol. IV-V"). Previous ownership inscription in blue ink to front free endpaper, with the quotation, "The expropriators are expropriated. p. 462, I", inscribed underneath in red ink; library stamp to vol. 2, p. 1. Spine slightly faded, ends a little bruised and rubbed, contents evenly browned with some chipping to page edges as usual due to paper quality, front and rear gutters and several page edges neatly reinforced using Japanese tissue, overall a very good, clean copy of a fragile publication. See Printing and the Mind of Man 359 (first edition).