Free to Lose uses neoclassical economic models to assess both Marx’s concept of exploitation and his endorsement of socialism. From within this framework, Roemer makes a valuable, often brilliant, contribution to Marxist economic theory.

During the past decade, John Roemer has established himself as one of the foremost interpreters of Marxian economic analysis, and his writing has been much read and discussed not only by economists, but also by philosophers, political scientists, and historians. In the present work, Roemer attempts to systematize his ‘reconstruction’ of Marx’s ideas on exploitation and class.

John Roemer’s reconstruction of the concept of exploitation and his elaboration of its relationship to class constitute the most important theoretical innovations on these problems in contemporary Marxism. Free to Lose presents these ideas in a clear, nontechnical, and engaging manner which will make them accessible not only to undergraduate economics students, but to sociologists, political scientists, and historians as well.