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submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net to c/theory@hexbear.net

Hop in, comrades, we are reading Capital Volumes I-III this year, and we will every year until Communism is achieved. (Volume IV, often published under the title Theories of Surplus Value, will not be included, but comrades are welcome to set up other bookclubs.) This works out to about 6½ pages a day for a year, 46 pages a week.

I'll post the readings at the start of each week and @mention anybody interested. Let me know if you want to be added or removed.

Week 1, January 4 - January 11, Volume 1 Chapter 1 'The Commodity'

This is the very first bookclub post, so get to know each other, ask questions about the basic premise, just keep mostly on-topic. This didn't start on January 1st because I want it to start and end on the weekend. @'ing everyone mid-Thursday probably wouldn't have gotten very many readers.

Discuss the week's reading in the comments.

Use any translation/edition you like. Marxists.org has the Moore and Aveling translation in various file formats including epub and PDF.

AernaLingus says: I noticed that the linked copy of the Fowkes translation doesn't have bookmarks, so I took the liberty of adding them myself. You can either download my version with the bookmarks added or if you're a bit paranoid (can't blame ya) and don't mind some light command line work you can use the same simple script that I did with my formatted plaintext bookmarks to take the PDF from libgen and add the bookmarks yourself. Also, please let me know if you spot any errors with the bookmarks so I can fix them!


Resources

(These are not expected reading, these are here to help you if you so choose)


2024 Archived Discussions

If you want to dig back into older discussions, this is an excellent way to do so.

Archives:

Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 5Week 6Week 7Week 8Week 9Week 10Week 11Week 12Week 13Week 14Week 15Week 16Week 17Week 18Week 19Week 20Week 21Week 22Week 23Week 24Week 25Week 26Week 27Week 28Week 29Week 30Week 31Week 32Week 33Week 34Week 35Week 36Week 37Week 38Week 39Week 40Week 41Week 42Week 43Week 44Week 45Week 46Week 47Week 48Week 49Week 50Week 51Week 52


2025 Archived Discussions

If you want to dig back into older discussions, this is an excellent way to do so.

Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 5Week 6Week 7Week 8Week 9Week 10Week 11Week 12Week 13Week 14Week 15Week 16Week 17Week 18Week 19Week 20Week 21Week 22Week 23Week 24Week 25Week 26Week 27Week 28Week 29Week 30Week 31Week 32Week 33Week 34Week 35Week 36Week 37Week 38Week 39Week 40Week 41Week 42Week 43Week 44Week 45

2026 Archived Discussions

Just joining us? You can use the archives below to help you reading up to where the group is. There is another reading group on a different schedule at https://lemmygrad.ml/c/genzhou (federated at !genzhou@lemmygrad.ml ) which may fit your schedule better. The idea is for the bookclub to repeat annually, so there's always next year.

N/A

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[-] oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net 16 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Hey everyone, Capital bookclub is starting from the top again! If any friends missed the last one, bring 'em on over here. Just participate anywhere in the current 2026 thread, whichever thread that might be, to be added to the notification list. DM or reply to this comment asking to be removed if you wish to be removed.

Notification List

@FromPieces@lemmygrad.ml @roux@hexbear.net @0__0@hexbear.net @bennieandthez@lemmygrad.ml @pierre_delecto@hexbear.net @StillNoLeftLeft@hexbear.net @RedWizard@hexbear.net @o_d@lemmygrad.ml @real@hexbear.net @Sasuke@hexbear.net @ComradeSpahija@hexbear.net @NinjaGinga@hexbear.net @SabbaticGoat@hexbear.net @woodenghost@hexbear.net @Parsani@hexbear.net @radio_free_asgarthr@hexbear.net @pr0kch0p@hexbear.net @NedIsakoff@hexbear.net @LibsEatPoop@hexbear.net @LisaTrevor@hexbear.net @AernaLingus@hexbear.net @devils_dust@hexbear.net @burntpopcorn@hexbear.net @ExtimateCookie@hexbear.net @oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net @CarlMarks@lemmygrad.ml @blackbread@lemmygrad.ml @imogen_underscore@hexbear.net @khizuo@hexbear.net @glimmer_twin@hexbear.net @Sebrof@hexbear.net @CommieTurtle@lemmy.ml @CARCOSA@hexbear.net @jacab@hexbear.net @Cowbee@hexbear.net @SwitchyandWitchy@hexbear.net @comrade_pibb@hexbear.net @No_Bark@lemmy.dbzer0.com @luxurycommunism@hexbear.net @playvind@lemmy.dbzer0.com @dove_milk@hexbear.net @SockOlm@hexbear.net @SteamedHamberder@hexbear.net @mendiCAN@hexbear.net @XxFemboy_Stalin_420_69xX@hexbear.net @Atlas@lemmygrad.ml into_highest_invite@lemmygrad.ml @Ath3ro@hexbear.net

[-] comrade_pibb@hexbear.net 6 points 3 months ago

List add plz. 2026 is the year I finally tackle capital

[-] oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

List add

Done!

plz

A little bit of politeness goes a long way

2026 is the year I finally tackle capital

You better believe I'll be holding you to your word on that over the course of this year.

Personally, it took my quite a few years of reading through Das Kapital to actually finish all three volumes. My copy of the first volume is super worn down, from all the times I've started off trying to go through Capital, but had to give up after only finishing the first volume. It's a little ironic, since the first volume is generally considered the driest and most boring, while the series gets progressively better until the peak of volume 3.

[-] quarrk@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

Please remove me from the list. I’ll keep an eye on pinned posts to keep track.

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[-] SteamedHamberder@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

Add please!

[-] No_Bark@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 months ago

Add me too please. Thanks!

add me to the list please! been looking at my copy of capital intimidating me from the shelf for far too long haha

[-] Atlas@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 3 months ago

I'll join! :)

[-] SockOlm@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago
[-] mendiCAN@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

add me to da list please

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[-] quarrk@hexbear.net 8 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I wish there was a better tool for these clubs. Lemmy doesn’t have a proper Watch feature for new comments, so it is not motivating to add a comment on day 6 of a thread, because no one will see it, let alone commenting on a past week’s thread.

Thanks oscardejarjayes for hosting this year!

[-] oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net 8 points 3 months ago

Yeah, Lemmy isn't built for bookclubs. We could have a custom sorting algorithm to cater to bookclubs or something, and some kind of watch feature would be nice, but I think Lemmy is just not a very good place to hold bookclubs. In-person is book club king, and everything else is just a pale immitation. If we want to go one step further, moving off-platform might be a good decision. We might have to write it ourselves, but a Hexbear linked Bookclub virtual meeting space is very interesting.

You're welcome, I'm always happy to serve my community! Cowbee's my Lemmy hero, so I love to follow in his footsteps, and help out continuing his work.

[-] CARCOSA@hexbear.net 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

@marxisthayaca@hexbear.net did a book club for a few years using an off-site resource.

It was perusall https://hexbear.net/post/108398

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[-] Sebrof@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago

I've definitely had that thought too. Last year I fell behind. And I debated on posting comments on older threads where nobody would revisit them thonk

[-] Cowbee@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Please do! That's why we link them!

[-] WokePalpatine@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

People should sort by new by default and then upvote the comments they've read, maybe.

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[-] GrainEater@lemmygrad.ml 8 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

(PSA: the reading group on Lemmygrad is not on hiatus, we've just moved to /c/theory@lemmygrad.ml)

[-] oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago

Ok, good to know. I'll fix the post.

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[-] luxurycommunism@hexbear.net 7 points 3 months ago

Will anyone else be using the Paul Reitter translation? I picked up a copy last year and have been looking for a reason to read it

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[-] SevenSkalls@hexbear.net 6 points 3 months ago

Maybe I'll actually try this this year.

[-] Beaver@hexbear.net 5 points 3 months ago

You should go for it!

[-] Cowbee@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago
[-] Cowbee@hexbear.net 6 points 3 months ago

Good luck everyone this year! The first 3 chapters of Volume 1 are the toughest to get through, but once you're through those it's pretty smooth sailing from there!

And thanks for hosting it this year, @oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net!

party-blob

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[-] devils_dust@hexbear.net 5 points 3 months ago

Can you add me again when reading volume 3? That's the one I missed last year

[-] Beaver@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

Should be September when Vol 3 starts up. Do you have a way to set yourself a reminder?

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[-] WokePalpatine@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

I wonder if having the thread cover all 3 volumes (or 3 threads going at once or something) would work.

[-] AernaLingus@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

noooo I'm already behind screm-aaaaa aaaa

not sure I'll manage to finish chapter 1 in time, but hopefully I'll be caught up through chapter 2 by the end of next week's thread. I guess ideally I'd be done with chapter 3 in time for week 3's thread, but that seems like wishful thinking (I do hope to eventually be ready with a comment by the beginning of each week). Also chapter 1 is gonna be the longest slog both because I've heard it's difficult and because I'm reading all the (checks) four separate forewords/prefaces/introductions that are in my edition (I'm using the new Reitter translation). So if I can power through this, I can go the distance!

edit: locked in today and powered through all the prefaces, so I can tackle Chapter 1 tomorrow! Much excite niko-dance

[-] SwitchyandWitchy@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

I'm behind too catgirl-cry I have no idea where the week went but fuck it I will figure it out somehow.

[-] AernaLingus@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

You got this! It's no big deal if you're a bit behind at the start, anyhow—it is a year-long reading group, after all, so you've got plenty of time to catch up. The first few chapters are supposed to be the toughest, so don't let that discourage you—just try to read a bit every day, and you'll get there! I've been doing a half hour here, a half hour there, and I think I should finish chapter one in the next day or two. As soon as I can feel my eyes start to glaze over and notice I'm re-reading the same paragraph over and over, I know it's time to take a break and do something else for a bit.

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[-] meler@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago

I wanna be added

[-] SteamedHamberder@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago

rat-salute-2 reporting for duty

[-] Blockocheese@hexbear.net 4 points 2 months ago

There's a spectre haunting this dead thread, and it's me crush

In 2. The dual character of the labor embodied in commodies, when he says that a coat that took half the time to make as another coat has the same quality of useful labor as the coat that took longer, does the quality of useful labor mean like tailoring here?

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[-] Atlas@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 3 months ago

The first half of chapter one is a struggle but the second half made a lot more sense to me. I think next week I'll re-read chapter 1 to help it sink in and then read chapter 2. Essentially doubling the amount of reading but fuck it if I didn't push through before reaching 100% understanding it'd take me a lifetime per chapter lol.

[-] into_highest_invite@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 3 months ago

karl marx debunked the "marginal revolution" on literally the first page of capital

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[-] LisaTrevor@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

let's goooooo i'm actually prepared this year, i spent december finally understanding what the transformation problem is about and now i'm itching to actually make it to vol. 3

[-] comrade_pibb@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

What's the best translation?

[-] Beaver@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

There's not really a settled answer, but all the English translations are considered pretty good.

The Samuel Moore translation is from the 1887, with Engle's assistance. This is public domain, and is the version on Marxist.org. The language is less modern, so you'll have to be a little bit more studious about looking up definitions for words that are less commonly used today. Still perfectly readable, though.

The Ben Fowkes translation (the 1976 Penguin Classics version) is the most widely read version. You'll be on the same footing in regards to terminology as almost everyone else who reads Capital. The language is more modern than the Samuel Moore translation, but not that modern, being fifty years old. This is the version I read, and I would recommend it.

The Paul Reitter translation is from 2024, and focuses on modernized language, and also preserving some of the original double meanings from German. I've only read the first chapter of this one, and it seems fine. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up becoming the definitive edition, but time will tell.

[-] DornerStan@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 3 months ago

Absolutely the Reitter translation. Also has a professionally-produced audiobook.

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[-] wheresmysurplusvalue@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

For this reading, I'm trying to really diagram out the categories as they are developed, to check if I really understand it. So I tried to implement the categories as data types in Haskell-ish pseudocode, but unfortunately this proved to be more tricky than I thought. Has anyone tried doing something like this, i.e. mathematically formalizing Marxian categories into something like a type system?

I found this really interesting thread on reddit-logo /r/SocialistProgrammers, which seems to discuss something similar. However, I'm not trying to capture the full dynamism of Hegelian logic. I just want to take a snapshot of Marx's categories at different points in the book for diagramming purposes, to show how the categories are connected. I imagine it could be visualized some way for pedagogical purposes.

[-] wheresmysurplusvalue@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Along the way, I learned about this mathematician William Lawvere who tried to formalize Hegel's unity of opposites in the language of category theory:

Lawvere was a committed Marxist–Leninist throughout his life. He saw his political commitments as deeply connected to his scientific and philosophical work. In 1971, his dismissal from Dalhousie University was a result of his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War and the Canadian government's use of the War Measures Act.

Lawvere often infused his mathematical writing with philosophical and political concepts. In his 1970 paper "Quantifiers and Sheaves," he connects the mathematical concept of adjoint functors to the dialectical principle of the unity of opposites and cites Mao Zedong's essay "On Contradiction", as well as Vladimir Lenin's theory of knowledge.

07

See also: nLab: Hegel's Logic as Modal Type Theory

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[-] WokePalpatine@hexbear.net 3 points 3 months ago

Did Aveling/Engels translate all 3 volumes? I'd really like to read his translations since it seems like they use less obscurantist language than the Penguin Books versions I have.

[-] quarrk@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago

The first English translation of Volume 1 was published in 1887 by Edward Aveling and Samuel Moore. The first English translations of Volumes 2 and 3 were published in 1907 and 1909, respectively, by Ernest Untermann, several years after Aveling died in 1898.

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this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2026
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