This paper examines the evolution of Karl Marx's plans for his critique of political economy. It explores three main types of plans discussed by Marx. The first is a six-book plan; comprising capital, labour, landed property, the state, foreign trade and the world market and crises. The second is a four-book plan relating to capital; including the production process of capital, the circulation
... [Show full abstract] process, the process of capital as a whole, and the history of the theory. The third plan is also a four-book plan; comprising capital, the state, international trade, and the world market and crises. These three plans are scrutinised from the perspective of which, if any, was likely to have been eventually chosen by Marx as the one for him to follow, as distinct from that which was ultimately necessary to complete. It is difficult to make any clear judgements about these questions, but overall it is likely that Capital is an unfinished work of ambiguous dimensions, possibly culminating in an investigation of the state, foreign trade and world market and crises.