Much of the discussion of Marxism today revolves around the problems of alienation.

The author shows how the concept was central to Marx's whole development of a critique of society, from the early manuscripts of capital and counters the view that there is a philosophically-oriented 'young Marx' and a mature Marx' concerned with economic determinism'. the significance of the Marxian theory of alienation is assessed in its proper perspectives: in the development and historical impact of Marx's work as a whole.