Translation of The Commodity the original chapter 1 of the first edition of Das Kapital and The Value-Form, the associated Appendix.

The original first chapter to Das Kapital had major differences from subsequent editions, especially in the structure and development of the first chapter on the commodity and value. Because of the more direct Hegelian influence in this chapter, Marx and Engels felt the need to include the appendix The Value Form for readers that were not familiar with Hegel and dialectics.

In the second edition of Das Kapital, which was the basis for translations into other languages, the first chapter was expanded and split up into the current first three chapters of Capital, the Hegelian language was toned down and the appendix was removed.

Bibliographical details:

Marx, K. (1976). The Commodity. Chapter One, Volume One, of the first edition of Capital. In Dragstedt, A. (Ed. and Translator) (1976). Value: Studies By Karl Marx. London: New Park Publications.

Marx, K. (1978). The Value-Form. Capital and Class 4, Spring.