Summary

"The State and Revolution" by Vladimir Lenin is a pivotal work in Marxist theory, dissecting the nature of the state in class society and the proletariat's role in revolution. Lenin meticulously examines the perspectives of Marx and Engels on the state, contrasting them with those of opportunists and anarchists. The book asserts that the state is fundamentally an instrument of class oppression, arising from irreconcilable class antagonisms. It cannot be a neutral mediator, but instead serves the interests of the economically dominant class.

Lenin emphasizes that the transition from capitalism to communism necessitates a violent revolution to dismantle the bourgeois state apparatus. This revolution leads to the dictatorship of the proletariat, a state in which the working class suppresses the resistance of the exploiters. This proletarian state, however, is not an end in itself but a transitional phase. As class antagonisms diminish, the state begins to wither away, eventually becoming unnecessary in a fully communist society.

The book delves into the specifics of the Paris Commune of 1871, highlighting its attempt to replace the standing army with an armed populace and to abolish privileges for state officials. Lenin interprets these actions as a move towards a state that is no longer a state in the traditional sense, but rather a transitional entity on the path to stateless communism. He critiques the distortion of Marxism by figures like Kautsky, who downplay the necessity of violent revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat.

Lenin addresses the economic basis for the withering away of the state, distinguishing between the lower and higher phases of communist society. In the lower phase, often termed socialism, bourgeois law is only partially abolished, and the state is still required to safeguard equality in labor and distribution of products. Only in the higher phase, when productivity has increased and the division of labor has been overcome, can society fully embrace the principle of 'From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs,' leading to the complete withering away of the state and democracy itself.

Ultimately, "The State and Revolution" is a call to action, urging the proletariat to recognize the necessity of revolution and to strive for a communist society in which the state, as an instrument of oppression, is rendered obsolete. Lenin advocates for a state of armed workers in the interim before the state can be abolished completely. This text serves as a cornerstone for understanding the Bolshevik perspective on the state, revolution and the path to communism.