Friedrich Engels' treatise on family economics and its connection with human history and development is published here in full. Engels examines the primitive tribal societies of the Native Americans, where matriarchal arrangements were relatively commonplace. He proposes that the effects that monogamy and the increasing levels of private property decreased the influence of women in family life and thus the wider society; a process which Engels believed had advanced over thousands of years of advancing human civilization. Engels argues that women were able to bond and work together on a principle of sisterhood; he argues that this occurrence is a form of primitive communism. In the modern day, Engels' arguments in favor of matrilineal heritage in early human societies are generally disregarded. However, anthropologists such as Christopher Knight believe there is merit in Engels' claims, and criticize the prevailing views.

Ironically, The Communist Manifesto, first published in 1848 for the Communist League, had little influence in its own day. Only after Karl Marx and Frederick Engels' other writings had made their views on socialism widely known did it become a standard text. For nearly century it was one of the most widely read - some would argue misread - texts in the world. Manifested in vivid prose, the Manifesto continues to irk the capitalist world, lingering as an eerie specter even after the collapse of those governments, which claimed to be enacting its principles. Certainly, the aim here is not create converts. Instead it is to help readers probe the writing with its distinct point of view, so that we might understand the political and historical significance of the text while still maintaining a stance that allows us to think critically about the subject and form our own opinions.

The classic "The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844" is a detailed description and analysis of the appalling conditions of the working class in Britain during Engels' stay in Manchester and Salford. The work also contains seminal thoughts on the state of socialism and its development.

The second edition of this strong collection brings together classical statements on social stratification with current and original scholarship, providing a foundation for theoretical debate on the nature of race, class, and gender inequality. Designed for students in courses on social stratification, inequality, and social theory, this new edition includes a revised and updated editor's introduction and conclusion, along with five new chapters on race and gender from distinguished scholars in the field.

The definitive introduction to history’s most influential and controversial political document, updated for a new generation of readers. Since it was first written in 1848, The Communist Manifesto has been translated into more languages than any other modern text. All across the world—in countless places and idioms—it has been debated, shared, brandished, invoked, banned, burned, and even declared “dead.” But in an era of escalating political, economic, health, and environmental crises, Marx and Engels’ fierce indictment of capitalism is more relevant than ever, and their Manifesto remains required reading from the classroom to the picket line. Scholar Phil Gasper draws on his decades of teaching and organizing experience to produce a beautifully organized edition of the Manifesto that brings the text to life. By fully annotating the Manifesto with clear historical references and explication, a glossary, and including additional related texts, Gasper provides an accessible and comprehensive reference edition suited to first-time readers and dedicated partisans alike.

Considered Karl Marx' clearest and most concise critique of capitalism, Wage-Labor and Capital was first printed in an underground German newspaper, which was shut down by the government before the series could be completed. This collection adds other essays by Marx which expand on his ideas about estranged labor, commodity fetishism, machinery and modern industry, and the class struggle.

Using the authorized English translation, edited and annotated by Engels, this edition features an extensive and provocative introduction by historian Martin Malia.