"The first act by virtue of which the state really constitutes itself the representative of the whole of society — the taking possession of the means of production in the name of society — this is, at the same time, its last independent act as a state. State interference in social relations becomes, in one domain after another, superfluous, and then dies out of itself; the government of persons is replaced by the administration of things, and by the conduct of processes of production. The state is not "abolished". It dies out. This gives the measure of the value of the phrase "a free people's state", both as to its justifiable use at times by agitators, and as to its ultimate scientific insufficiency [117]; and also of the demands of the so-called anarchists for the abolition of the state out of hand."
*** "With the seizing of the means of production by society production of commodities is done away with, and, simultaneously, the mastery of the product over the producer."
Engels, ANTI-DUHRING
full: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1877/anti-duhring/ch24.htm
*****************************previously...... I recently re-watched the interview with David Graeber on Charlie Rose that, I think, ravi posted. He described anarchism in a way that I thought was really interesting. In general, he said that it is a committment to the idea that it's possible to have a society based on self-organization, voluntary association and mutual aid. If you are interested in living as if that is possible, then you are an anarchist.
I take it that the passage through anarchism to Marxism probably comes by way of a recognition of the necessity of the state--that was something that Doug touched on in passing in the interview w/Corey Robin. I wonder what Marxists--or "Marxists"--think of this.
-christian
^^^^ CB; Marxists agree with anarchists that humans do not need a state power to organize society , and that ultimately the state will whither away in Communism after capitalist relations of production are abolished. However, Marxists do not agree that initial step to Communism is to directly abolish the state. The state as the dictatorship of the proletariat will last as long as there are capitalists with control of state powers and repressive force .
Lenin gives the full Marxist theory of the state, contrasting it with the anarchist attitude to the state in _The State and Revolution_. *********************************************************************** Wobbly Times http://wobblytimes.blogspot.com/