This title was first published in 1977. Fundamentals of Political Economy is a popular introductory economics text published in the People's Republic of China in 1974 as a part of the Youth Self-Education series designed particularly for individual or group study. The primary purpose of this series, according to the preface, is to elevate the cultural level of the youths going down to the countryside, to advance their knowledge of the social and natural sciences, as well as to arouse their class consciousness. It was originally published in two volumes. The first volume (11 chapters) is a critical review of the historical development of capitalism. The second volume (12 chapters) deals with Marxist economic principles and the manner in which they are applied in China.