O ponto de partida científico em o Capital de Karl Marx

Abstract

The objective of this thesis, based on the study of the starting point, is to disclose the exposition method employed by Karl Marx in his major work, Capital. Raising the issue of the starting point is to unravel the scientifically correct method applied by him. Therefore, it analyses the main categories mentioned in the first chapter, where Marx begins his exposition, and the way they are presented therein. Thinking about the starting point also refers to a serious methodological issue between Marx and the classical economists, that consists in Marx's relationship with the empirical method applied by them, which calls for clarification on the appearance of the empirical aspect in Marx and the reason why it is not enough for conceptual construction. Another methodological aspect discussed in the thesis concerns the Marx-Hegel relationship, for considering the starting point means to understand the Hegelian dialectical method demystified and employed by Marx, i.e. for the dialectical method to be used, it would be necessary to reverse it, and this is what Marx did to demystify it. Thus, the research should demonstrate the dialectical aspects of the method used by Marx and its differentiation of both the idealist dialectics of Hegel and the empirical method used by the classical political economy.