The authors trace the development of the central Marxian notion of the composition of capital through his writings. They show that the definitions he ultimately employs for the different compositions are mandated by his philosophical and methodological approach to economics. From Grundrisse through Theories of Surplus Value and CAPITAL III, the theory undergoes important changes. But, not until the French edition of CAPITAL I, does Marx clearly differentiate between the technical, organic, and value compositions of capital. There, the different compositions finally correspond to his view of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption as distinct forecasts that together form a totality.
