The ideas that are expressed in the essay have a very thorough economic contemplation about them as he put aside some of his materialist conceptions of history for the time being. However, this essay did start to show an increased scientific rationale on his ideas of alienated labor which in Marx’s perspective would eventually lead to the proletarian revolution.

Some of the main topics that the essay examines are about labour power and labour and how labour power becomes a commodity. It also presents the labour theory of value that further develops the distinct differences between labour and labour power. The essay also examines the commodity and how the economic principles of supply and demand affect the pricing of certain commodities. Beyond that, the essay explores how capital and capitalism do not service any purpose other than to gain more of it which Marx presents as an illogical method of living one's life.