withering away of the state

(19th century)

Term used intially by the German collaborator of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels (1820-1895).

After the seizure of power by the working class, the dictatorship of the proletariat will be used to abolish capitalism and, hence, classes.

Since states only exist to regulate class conflict, the state will thereafter be redundant and will wither away.

Source:
David McLellan, Marxism after Marx (London, 1980)



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