The State and Revolution by V.I. Lenin

Context and Background

• Written by V.I. Lenin in August - September 1917 while in hiding from the Provisional Government.
• Purpose: To explain the Marxist theory of the state and the tasks of the proletariat in revolution.
• Based on materials collected from Marx and Engels, with Lenin's critical notes.

Main Themes

• Criticism of opportunism and social-chauvinism within socialist parties.
• The need to smash the bourgeois state apparatus and replace it with a proletarian state.
• The role of the proletariat in revolution and the transition from capitalism to communism.

Key Points

The State and Class Antagonisms

• The state is a product of irreconcilable class antagonisms.
• It serves as an instrument for the oppression of one class by another.
• The bourgeoisie uses the state to exploit the proletariat.

The Withering Away of the State

• Engels and Marx foresaw the withering away of the state through the establishment of socialism.
• The proletariat seizes state power, abolishing it as a state by transforming it into a proletarian state.
• The concept of "withering away" is often misinterpreted, leading to opportunism.

The Paris Commune Experience

• The Commune is seen as an example of the dictatorship of the proletariat.
• It demonstrated the need to smash the old state apparatus and replace it with a new one.
• The Commune introduced measures such as the election of officials and abolition of the standing army.

Critique of Opportunism

• Kautsky's interpretations of Marxism are criticized for evading revolutionary conclusions.
• Engels and Marx's ideas on revolution and state destruction are often ignored or distorted.

The Transition from Capitalism to Communism

• Emphasis on the need for the proletariat to destroy the bourgeois state and establish its own power.
• Proletarian revolution involves the destruction of the old state machinery.
• The dictatorship of the proletariat is a necessary transition to communism.

Concluding Remarks

• Lenin emphasizes the importance of understanding the Marxist theory of the state.
• The revolution of 1917 provides a practical context for implementing these theories.

Important Concepts

Dictatorship of the Proletariat

• Seen as a necessary phase during the transition from capitalism to socialism.
• Involves the proletariat ruling and suppressing the resistances of the bourgeoisie.

Role of Democracy

• Democracy, as understood in bourgeois terms, is a tool of class oppression.
• True democracy arises from the proletariat's control and reshaping of the state.

Critique of Social-Democrats and Opportunists

• Criticizes figures like Karl Kautsky for their diluted interpretations of Marxism.
• Emphasizes the betrayal of revolutionary principles by accommodating to bourgeois interests.

Relevance to 1917 Russian Revolution

• The experiences and theories discussed by Lenin are directly related to the events of 1917.
• Lenin's work underscores the theoretical framework for the Bolshevik's actions during the October Revolution.

This summary captures the essential points and themes from Lenin's "The State and Revolution," focusing on the Marxist theory of the state, the role of the proletariat in revolution, and critiques of opportunism within socialist movements. The notes also highlight the practical implications of these theories in the context of the 1917 Russian Revolution.