The theoretical status of the “Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844” in the process of Marx’s thought has always been a focus of academic debate.Based on the overall picture of Marx’s critique of political economy, it can be concluded that the “Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844” constitute the starting point of Marx’s entire critique of political economy.Specifically, the significance of this starting point is mainly manifested in four aspects: firstly, civil society and its inherent contradictions have facilitated the practical starting point for Marx’s research on political economy; secondly, reading and excerpting classical political economy works from England and France have constructed the ideological starting point for Marx’s research on political economy; thirdly, by revealing the essence of the subject and object of private property, it has laid the theoretical starting point for Marx’s independent criticism of political economy; fourthly, the logic of alienation and its abandonment have characterized the logical starting point of Marx’s criticism of political economy.By revealing the four specific starting points mentioned above, we can highlight the political economy critical stance established in the “Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844”, and better understand in what sense Marx launched his criticism and transcendence of classical political economy. 

　　Editor: Zhong Yao  LiuTingting 

　　From:Teaching and Research on Marxist Theory.2024.No.3.