THE ORIGIN OF THE STATE
According to Lenin, the concept of the
state has been seriously confused by the bourgeois sociologists. The wrong
picture of the state as presented by the bourgeois sociologists is that of some
kind of metaphysical entity given to man by nature, which has no class
character and is simply an instrument of order used to resolve disputes which
may arise between people regardless of the class they belong to. For Lenin,
such a theory of the state serves to justify the privileges of the bourgeoisie
and the existence of exploitation and capitalism. Hence, to have a clear
understanding and scientific explanation of the origin of the state, it essence
and role in social life, one has to inquire of Marxism-Leninism. In opposition
to the bourgeois sociologists, Marxism shows that the state is not something
external but is a product of society’s internal development. The state was
brought about by the changes in material production.
The
state has not always existed. Primitive society which had no private property
and no classes had no state either. Naturally, there were certain social
functions that needed to be carried out. But these were performed by men chosen
by all of society, and which had the
right to dismiss these people at any time and to appoint others as deemed fit.
Nevertheless, as we have already observed, the further development of the
productive forces led to the breaking up of primitive society and the beginning
of slave society. Private property appeared and this was characterised and
accompanied by classes – slaves and slave-owners. Hence, it now became
necessary to protect private property as well as the rule and security of it
owners. This occurrence is what brought the state into being; the further
development of the societal productive forces which gave birth to classes. In
addition, the birth of the state and its further development were followed by a
fierce class struggle. Conclusively, the state is a product of class society.
It arose with the appearance of classes and it will surely vanish with the
disappearance of classes also. This is what Marxism-Leninism aims at accomplishing,
and this will only happen under communist-socialist society, after the
capitalist system must have been dismantled and disintegrated.
THE NATURE OF THE STATE
Since the state is a product of class
society, it follows that the state is an element of an antagonistic society. In
an antagonistic class society, according to Lenin, the state is a political
instrument. By this Lenin implies that, the state is a machine for maintaining
the rule of one class over another. The state is a powerful instrument for the
class which dominates economically, of which it uses same to subject the
oppressed and the exploited. Accordingly, the main feature of a state is the
existence of public (social) power which represents the interests, not of the
entire population, but of the class which dominates economically. This power
rests on the armed forces like the army and the police.
In primitive society, all the people
were armed; but, in an antagonistic class society, the armed forces are in the
hands of the ruling class and are used to suppress the people, to make them
subordinate to a small clique of exploiters. In a similar manner, parliaments,
administrative constitutions, civil servants, intelligence agencies, the
courts, prisons and so on, are all used for the same purpose. All of these
combined, make up the political power of the exploiting state.
Furthermore, as the contradictions
between antagonistic classes deepen and the class struggle grows, the political
machine of “state” expands and becomes more sophisticated. This process is
particularly intense and severe in contemporary capitalist society, where the
state machine and the armed forces have grown to a very enormous size, unlike
in previous world orders like feudalism. Hence, the maintenance of the state
machine and the armed forces have become a serious burden for the people, as
that which is presented as though to protect them has become a serious threat
to their human rights, life and property.
Another feature of the state is that
people are grouped territorially
i.e. in districts, counties, states, regions e.t.c. this territorial settlement
is as a result of the development of productive forces, the increase in
division of labour and the growth of trade and commodity. Unlike in primitive
society, people settled in single large groups.
TYPES OF STATES AND FORMS OF RULE
States differ according to the class
they serve and the economic basis on which they arose. Accordingly, four types
of states are known in history and these are the slave state, the feudal
state, the capitalist state and
the socialist state. The first three
states defend the interests of the exploiters while the socialist state is a
state of a new type, a genuine state of the people. Each type of state has its
specific form of government, which is the organisation of rule by the dominant
class. Even though there were diverse forms of government in these states, the
type of state which they were and their class nature remain unchanged.
The
slave society had different forms of government;
A monarchy – the rule of one man (the emperor or monarch)
A republic – elective rule
Aristocracy – the rule of a relatively small minority
Democracy – the rule of the majority
In spite of all these differences in the forms of government, the state in the slave era was a state of the slave owners.
A monarchy – the rule of one man (the emperor or monarch)
A republic – elective rule
Aristocracy – the rule of a relatively small minority
Democracy – the rule of the majority
In spite of all these differences in the forms of government, the state in the slave era was a state of the slave owners.
§ The feudal state (society)
The
feudal society also presented a similar picture to that of the slave society.
However, monarchy was the most widespread form of government in the feudal
state. At times it also appeared in other forms, like in the form of a republic.
Nevertheless, whatever the form it took, the feudal state served as an
instrument for the suppression of the serfs and the artisans in favour of the
feudal lords.
§ The capitalist state (society)
In
the capitalist (bourgeois) state, diversity of form was also present.
Nevertheless, most frequently, this state appears as a republic; examples are the United States, France, and Italy and so
on. Under capitalism, the monarchical form seldom exists and even where it
exists, the rule of the monarch is in one way or another restricted by the
constitution or other legislative acts (as is the cases in states like Britain
and Belgium). The unlimited power of the bourgeoisie is however the most
important feature of any form of the bourgeois state.
THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT
The great historic mission of the
proletariat is to abolish capitalism and build a classless communist society.
However, this new communist society does not grow out of capitalism at once.
Thus, between capitalism and socialism is a period of political transformation
in which the state can become nothing but the revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat. The
dictatorship of the proletariat is the rule of the working class which,
together with all other working people destroys capitalism and builds a new state,
a society without hostile classes and exploitation. The dictatorship of the
proletariat is the essence of Marxism. Only dictatorship, the undivided power
of the proletariat, enables the working class to put an end to capitalism and
build socialism. The state of the dictatorship of the proletariat is one of a
bitter struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. In reality, the
much flaunted bourgeois democracy as we have seen is merely an opportunity for
the omnipotence of the money bags and the suppression of the working people. Thus,
the aim of bourgeois democracy is to promote the capitalist system. Only the
proletarian state is truly democratic as it has the working people’s interest
at heart. Therefore, it is only through a firm alliance and consolidation of
all the working people, the democratic forces, the joint support of the masses,
that the proletariat can break down the resistance of the exploiting classes,
retain power, build socialism and in this way bring the people a life of
happiness.
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