Abstract:

In Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844, Marx elucidates his theory of alienated labor through the lens of private property, viewing communism as the positive abolition of self-alienation. In subsequent works such as The German Ideology, Capital, and its manuscripts, Marx shifts his focus to the historical evolution of labor’s objective and subjective conditions within the division of labor and work processes. By examining the historical relationship between labor and ownership, he further deepens and develops his early theory of alienation. Progressing from ownership systems to property rights, Marx ultimately reveals alienated labor as a product of the complete separation of labor and ownership under the capitalist wage labor system. He indicates that the path to eliminating alienated labor in future social development lies in reconstructing the unity of labor and ownership on the foundation of individual ownership based on social principles.

Key words: alienated labor, ownership, labor ownership