Karl Marx's classic definitions of class and society under capitalism are still widely used today. Ideas such as class, revolution, production and oppression are employed across a broad range of academic subjects, reaching beyond politics, economics and sociology.

Yet these concepts, within a specifically Marxist framework, are not always easy to understand. This book is an ideal student introduction that explains, in clear and concise chapters, the precise meaning and implications of each of Marx's key concepts. Furthermore, the contributors show how these ideas continue to be relevant, and how they relate to modern society.

The contributors include leading academics in the field of politicial science. Outlining clearly what each concept means, they move on to situate it within cutting-edge contemporary political theory.

Concepts include historical materialism, capitalism, class, the state, imperialism, the division of labour, oppression, production and reproduction, revolution, working class internationalism, equality and democracy.

Georgina Blakeley is Head of Politics at the University of Huddersfield. Her main publications are on Spanish politics and democratisation. / Valerie Bryson is Professor of Politics at the University of Huddersfield. She teaches and researches on feminist theory, and women and politics. Her publications include Feminist Political Theory: An Introduction (Macmillan, 1992) and Feminist Debates: Issues of Theory and Political Practice (Macmillan, 1999). / Blakely and Bryson are the co-editors of Contemporary Political Concepts: A Critical Introduction (2002).

1  Historical Materialism                                12
Philip Wood
2  Capitalism                                            28
Keith Faulks
3  Class                                                 46
Peter McLaverty
4  The State                                             61
Andrew Taylor
5  Imperialism                                           81
Graham Harrison
6  The Division of Labour                                96
Renzo Llorente
7  Oppression                                           111
Mary Davis
8  Production and Reproduction                          127
Valerie Bryson
9  Revolution                                           143
Paul Blackledge
10  Working-Class Internationalism                       160
Mark O'Brien
11  Equality                                             176
Brendan Evans
12  Democracy                                            192
Georgina Blakeley