Friedrich Engels was Karl Marx’s close collaborator and life-long friend. But his economics has been sadly neglected, being lost under the large shadow of Marx’s Capital and his other economic works. And yet, Engels was the first to present a critique of the contemporary classical political economy of Smith, Ricardo and Malthus from a Marxist perspective – that is before Marx himself. Michael Roberts outlines, explains and analyses Engels’ contribution to a Marxist critique of political economy and capitalism and its relevance today.