Abstract

The article deals with the development of the theory of alienation in late works of Karl Marx. It uncovers the essence and historic-philosophical background of the Marxist theory of alienation and analyses its classical formulation in the “Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844”. It traces the history of reception of Marx’s theory of alienation in the philosophy of the 20th–21th centuries and of the interpretations of that theory by different representatives of the 20th century Neo-marxism, who opposed early and late works of the founder of Marxism. On the foundation of the analysis of Marx’s texts of the early and late periods of his activity, it proves the falsity of opposing of the “two Marxes” and demonstrates the continuity of the early and late works by Marx concerning the problem of alienated labor. It shows the importance of the concept of alienation and its enrichment by theoretical content in Marx’s works “Wagelabour and Capital”, “Grundrisse” and “Capital”. It provides the interpretation of the theory of commodity fetishism formulated in “Capital” as a further development of the theory of alienation.