Letter to Heinrich Oberwinder, March 3, 1869

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 3 March 1869


First published in: Marx and Engels, Works, First Russian Edition, Vol. XXV, Moscow, 1934
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 43


MARX TO HEINRICH OBERWINDER

IN VIENNA

[Draft]

London, 3 MARCH 1869

1 Modena Villas, Maitland Park,
Haverstock Hill, N.W.[1]

Dear Sir,

You must forgive my delayed reply to your letter of 14 February, resulting from my indisposition.[2]

I do not need to assure you that I am greatly interested in the workers' movement in Vienna.[3] If I could dispose freely of my

[4]

time and my strength, I would immediately stand at your disposal as a contributor to your paper. My ability to work is, however, continually interrupted by illness. The little leisure left me after completing the second volume of my work Capital'[5] is absorbed by the business of the International Working Men's Association.

Thus, I cannot offer the prospect of contributions from me in the near future.

I remain, with best respects[6]

Karl Marx

  1. ↑ in the original: W.C.
  2. ↑ A reference to Engels' intention to write a review of Volume One of Marx's Capital for The Fortnightly Review to which Professor Beesly was a contributor, (see Marx's letter to Engels of 8 January 1868, present edition, Vol. 42). While working on the review, Engels wrote out excerpts from Capital, which later made up a synopsis (see Note 26). The review was written around 20 May-1 June 1868, but rejected by the editorial board (see present edition, Vol. 20).
  3. ↑ deleted in the original: 'and thus in your paper', i.e. Volksstimme 10 983
  4. ↑ See this volume, p. 229.
  5. ↑ After the first publication of A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy appeared in 1859, Marx produced a lengthy economic manuscript throughout 1861-63, which was a second rough draft of Capital (the first was the manuscripts of 1857-58). In 1863, he evolved the final plan for a four-book work, the first three books theoretical and the fourth, a historical and critical one. Having finished work on the manuscripts of 1861-63, Marx began preparing them for the press in August 1863.
    This work from 1863-65 resulted in the third rough draft of Capital, three books of a theoretical character. The notes for the fourth book, the Theories of Surplus-Value, were incorporated in the manuscripts of 1861-63. Later, having completed work on them, Marx went back to the first book. On Engels' advice, he decided it should appear first. Preparation for the press continued throughout 1866 and most of 1867. The first German edition of the first book appeared in September 1867 as Volume One of Capital. Under the plan agreed upon with Meissner, the publisher, the second and third books (devoted to the circulation of capital and the process of capitalist production as a whole) were to appear as Volume Two, while the fourth book on the history of economic theories was to be Volume Three of Capital.
    Marx, however, had not completed the preparation of the last books of Capital for the press. After his death, this was done by Engels, who published Marx's manuscripts relating to the second and third books as volumes Two and Three of Capital (1885 and 1894). Engels also intended to prepare for the press and publish as Volume Four of Capital the above-mentioned manuscript of the fourth book, but did not have time to do this in his lifetime. This edition presents this book of Capital as part of the Economic Manuscripts of 1861-63, (volumes 30-34) while Volumes One, Two and Three of Capital are to be found in volumes 35, 36 and 37 of the present edition respectively.
  6. ↑ deleted in the original: 'You cannot, therefore, expect contributions from me in the near future, but I can assure you of such in the long view.—Yours faithfully'