JJRM PPT Marxism PSM1

MARXIST THEORY OF
THE STATE
PSM1
JEFFERSON IBANEZ
JEFF REY COLUMNA
RAI AMIN-AMIN
MONIQUE ASHLEY SACAPAÑO
MARXIST
THEORY
Offers a series o f p o w erfu l a n d critical

investigation insights in t o c o m p lex an d
d y n a m i c relationship b e t w e e n t h e
economy, and society in st at e
capitalist
democracies. ,
Development of Marxist and Neo-Marxist
approaches to the study and analysis of the state
Marx and Engels through:
Lenin and
Gramsci
• Miliband and Poulantzas
• Block and Jessop (Contemporary
authors)
THREE SECTIONS OF THE ARGUMENT
• C o n s i d e r i n g w h y i t is t h a t Marxist r e q u i r e a t h e o r y o f t h e s t a t e and how

Marxists have c o n c e p t u a l i z e d t h e i r f o c u s o f t h e i r a t t e n t i o n .
• The d e v e l o p m e n t o f Marxist t h e o r y o f t h e st a t e t h r o u g h t h e w o r d o f t h e
c o n f o u n d i n g fathers, its r e f o r m u l a t i o n b y L e n i n a n d Gramsci, a n d t h e
revival o f i n t e r e s t i n Marxist st a t e t h e o r y i n t h e p o s t - w a r p e r i o d .
• The c o n t e m p o r a r y d e v e l o p m e n t o f Marxists/neo-Marxists s t a t e o f t h e o r y
a s k i n g w h e t h e r s u c h t h e o r i e s h a ve b e c o m e ever less Marxist a n d a s k i n g
w h e t h e r w e n e e d a Marxist t h e o r y o f t h e s t a t e today.
MARXIST AND THE STATE
• The modern state is an amorphous complex of agencies

with ill-defined boundaries performing a variety of not
very distinctive functions (Schmitter 1985: 33).
• There is no more arduous task in the theory of the state

than defining this notoriously elusive and rapidly moving
target (Hay 1996a: 2).
WHAT IS THE
STATE?
REPRESSIVE
ARM OF THE
BOURGEOISI
E
INSTRUMENT
OF THE
RULING
CLASS
FACTOR OF
IDEAL COHESION
COLLECTIVE WITHIN THE
CAPITALIST SOCIAL
FORMATION
WHY DO MARXISTS
NEED A THEORY OF THE STATE?
• German 'state-derivationist'
-It certainly served to highlight the centrality of the
state to the process of capitalist production.
Genealogy of the State in
Marxist Theory
Marx an d Engels
• Bob Jessop noted that it was a ‘truism’ that
Marx and Engels developed no consistent,
single or unified theory of thestate (1977: 353).
According to Jessop,
Marx and Engels adopted different approaches and arguments
according to the problems with which they were concerned
(1982: 28). Nonetheless, a clear development of Marx and Engels’
ideas on the state can be traced.
TH E E A R L Y M A R X
A c co r d i n g t o Hegel (1975), t h e separation b e t w e e n t h e state
a n d civil society- b e t w e e n t h e universal a n d t h e particular- f i n d
its resolution in t h e state.
Marx mark two: The ‘mature’ works
In German Ideology, Marx and Engels closest to formulating a

systematic theory of the state, is nothing more the form of the
organization which the bourgeosie necessarily adopt both
internal and external purposes for the mutual guarantee of
their property and interest ( 1 8 4 5 / 6 : 1 9 6 4 : 8 2 )
Miliband Identified
Marx and Engels' Views of State
Primary view of the State:

The Instrumentalist Framework
According to Ma rx ,
"The state is granted a certain degree of autonomy from the ruling class,
but it r ema ins their instr ument ultima tely those wh o pay the piper
call the tune."
Secondary view of the State:
State a far more Independent
Role
According to Marx,
"State is the system of political domination whose effectiveness is to be found in its
institutional structure as much as in the social categories, fractions or classes that
control it... The analysis of the inherent bias of the system of political representation
and state intervention is logically prior to an examination of the social forces that
manage the wield state power."
Lenin
• argue the state as, an organ of ule, an organ for the oppression of one
class by another.
• liberation of the oppressed class is impossible not only
without a violent revolution, but also without the destruction of
the apparatus of state power
GRAMSCI
• Gramsci redefined the old concept of hegemony, which he
demonstrated that a dominant class, in order to maintain its
supremacy, must succeed in presenting its own moral, political, and
cultural values as societal norms; thereby constructing an ideologically-
engendered common sense.
STRUCTURALISM versus INSTRUMENTALISM
in the MILIBAND-POULANTZAS
(Debate)
MILIBAND
(INSTRUMENTALISM)
State as a neutral instrument to be manipulated and steered in the interests of the dominant class of ruling elite.
- He focuses on class in terms of inter-subjective relationship and on the state in terms of the inter- personal alliances,
connections and networks of the state elite.
POULANTZAS
(STRUCTURALISM)
State as a structural system with form and function determined largely independently of the aspirations, motivations,
and intentions of the political actors or members of the dominant class.
- He focuses on class in terms of objective structural locations within the relations of productions and on the state in terms
of the structure, form, and function of the capitalist institution.
MILIBAND (INSTRUMENTALISM)
Block concerns to demonstrate how, despite the division of labor between the
state managers and the capitalist class, the states tends to act in the long-term
collective interest of capital. And points out dependency between the relationship
of state managers and the performance of capitalist economy.
-State becomes the custodian of the general interest of the capital.
BEYOND INSTRUMENTALISM (FRED

BLOCK) versus STRUCTUALISM (BOB JESSOP)
POULANTZAS (STRUCTURALISM)
Jessop conceive state as a strategic site traversed by class struggles and as a specific
institutional ensemble with multiple boundaries, no institutional fixity and no pre-given
formal or substantive unity.
-State is a dynamic and constantly unfolding system .

Personnel-centred State-centred
(Agency-centred) (Structure-centred)
Simple view of the Instrumentalis Structuralism (early

relationship between the
m (Domhoff, Poulantzas, state
state apparatus and the
ruling class early Miliband) derivationists)
Dialectical view of The state as custodian Strategic-relational

the relationship of capital (later approach
between the state
Miliband, Block) (Jessop, later
apparatus and
the ruling class Poulantzas)
Marxist approach is needed to Contemporary state
because:
• The current phase of capitalist accumulation is quantitatively different from all previous stages;
in terms of international mobility of capital and in the global nature of social, political and
environmental crises with which it is associated.
• The analytical sophistication of contemporary Marxist approaches to the state . Though

characterized for much of its history by seemingly intractable dispute between structural
functionalism and instrumentalism, considerable analytical advances have been made in
Marxist state theory in recent years. Through this, the contemporary Marxist state theory has
much to offer to Marxists and non-Marxists.
STRENGTHS
Idealistic to true
democracy
Believes t h a t all p e o p le should b e
treate d equally a n d w i t h d ig ni ty
Inter-relationship
The capitalist m o d e of p ro d u c t i o n
a n d t h e state ' s m o d e of intervention
Alleviating economic
inequality
Lowering interest rate
Social benefit of free utilities
free education , h e a l th care , a n d state r u n utilities
WEAKNESSES
State tyranny
Repress individual freedoms , behave
arrogantly , misallocate resources Corruption
The state controls t h e m e a ns of
p ro d u c t i o n a n d allocate these
accord ing t o one ' s n e e d
Abolision of private
property
You m i g h t n o t have m u c h con tro l
over your property a n d contribution .
Tries to abolish
religion
You have f r e e d o m t o have your o w n
fai th b u t n o t t o practice i n organize
way
Comparison
on other theories
PLURALISM ELITISM INSTITUTIONALISM PUBLIC RATIONAL

Believes t h a t t h e Two classes of p e o p l e CHOICE CHOICE
characterized by its
p o w e r of t h e exist , a class t h a t emphasis u p o n t h e THEORY THEORY
g o v e r n m e n t are rules a n d a class t h a t
institutional contex t in Views t h e state as b o t h used b y
l i m i t e d a n d t h i s is ruled . Stateisis ru led by w h i c h political fragmented
economists i n
d i s tri bu t e d t o an elites . discussing e c o n o m i c
t h e groups .
events occur a n d for into
problems , b u t rational
the outcomes and p o w e r centers a n d
cho ice theory is
effects they generate checkpoints .
m o r e focused o n
A p p l i c a t i o n of t h e
( Hay 2002 :14-15 as rational decision
m e t h o d of e c o n o m ic s
cited by Vivien m a k i n g whereas
t o t h e study of
Schmidt ) . m a r x i s m is i n
politics . Study w h a t achieving equality
t h e state does a n d b e t w e e n bourgeoisie
w h y it does it . or business owners

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MARXIST THEORY OF

Offers a series o f p o w erfu l a n d critical

• C o n s i d e r i n g w h y i t is t h a t Marxist r e q u i r e a t h e o r y o f t h e s t a t e and how

• The modern state is an amorphous complex of agencies

• There is no more arduous task in the theory of the state

In German Ideology, Marx and Engels closest to formulating a

Primary view of the State:

-State becomes the custodian of the general interest of the capital.

BEYOND INSTRUMENTALISM (FRED

-State is a dynamic and constantly unfolding system .

Simple view of the Instrumentalis Structuralism (early

Dialectical view of The state as custodian Strategic-relational

• The analytical sophistication of contemporary Marxist approaches to the state . Though

PLURALISM ELITISM INSTITUTIONALISM PUBLIC RATIONAL

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