If we are serious about finding a different way to run the post-credit crunch society, we must start by introducing alternatives to undergraduates. Kieran Allen begins the task with an accessible and comprehensive look at the ideas of Karl Marx.Dispensing with the dryness of traditional explanations of Marx, Allen shows how Marx's ideas apply to modern society. The first section briefly outlines Marx's life and the development of his work, then goes on to clearly explain his key theories, including historical materialism and surplus value. The second section examines alternatives to capitalism, the concept of 'anti-capitalism' and provides concrete, contemporary examples of Marx's theories being put into practice in today's world.This book provides a crucial alternative for undergraduates in sociology and politics.

Kieran Allen is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at University College Dublin. His books include 1916: Ireland?s Revolutionary Tradition (Pluto, 2016), Durkheim (Pluto, 2017), Marx (Pluto, 2017) and Weber (Pluto, 2017).