Democracy in Marxism

In Marxist theory, a new democratic society will arise through the organised actions of an international working class, enfranchising the entire population and freeing up humans to act without being bound by the labour market.^[1]^[2] There would be little, if any, need for a state, the goal of which was to enforce the alienation of labor;^[1] as such, the state would eventually wither away as its conditions of existence disappear.^[3]^[4]^[5] Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels stated in The Communist Manifesto and later works that "the first step in the revolution by the working class, is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class, to win the battle for democracy" and universal suffrage, being "one of the first and most important tasks of the militant proletariat".^[6]^[7]^[8] As Marx wrote in his Critique of the Gotha Program, "between capitalist and communist society there lies the period of the revolutionary transformation of the one into the other. Corresponding to this is also a political transition period in which the state can be nothing but the revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat".^[9] He allowed for the possibility of peaceful transition in some countries with strong democratic institutional structures (such as Britain, the US and the Netherlands), but suggested that in other countries in which workers can not "attain their goal by peaceful means" the "lever of our revolution must be force", stating that the working people had the right to revolt if they were denied political expression.^[10]^[11] In response to the question "What will be the course of this revolution?" in Principles of Communism, Friedrich Engels wrote:

Above all, it will establish a democratic constitution, and through this, the direct or indirect dominance of the proletariat.
— Friedrich Engels, Principles of Communism

While Marxists propose replacing the bourgeois state with a proletarian semi-state through revolution (dictatorship of the proletariat), which would eventually wither away, anarchists warn that the state must be abolished along with capitalism. Nonetheless, the desired end results, a stateless, communal society, are the same.^[12]

Karl Marx criticized liberalism as not democratic enough and found the unequal social situation of the workers during the Industrial Revolution undermined the democratic agency of citizens.^[13] Marxists differ in their positions towards democracy.^[14]^[15]

controversy over Marx's legacy today turns largely on its ambiguous relation to democracy
— Robert Meister^[16]

Some argue democratic decision-making consistent with Marxism should include voting on how surplus labor is to be organized.^[17]

^ ^a ^b Calhoun 2002, p. 23
^ Barry Stewart Clark (1998). Political economy: a comparative approach. ABC-CLIO. pp. 57–59. ISBN 978-0-275-96370-5. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
^ Engels, Friedrich. "IX. Barbarism and Civilization". Origins of the Family, Private Property, and the State. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012 – via Marxists Internet Archive.
^ Zhao, Jianmin; Dickson, Bruce J. (2001). Remaking the Chinese State: Strategies, Society, and Security. Taylor & Francis. p. 2. ISBN 978-0415255837. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2012 – via Google Books.
^ Kurian, George Thomas (2011). "Withering Away of the State". The Encyclopedia of Political Science. Washington, DC: CQ Press. p. 1776. doi:10.4135/9781608712434.n1646. ISBN 9781933116440. S2CID 221178956.
^ How To Read Karl Marx
^ [The Class Struggles In France Introduction by Frederick Engels https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1850/class-struggles-france/intro.htm]
^ Marx, Engels and the vote (June 1983)
^ "Karl Marx:Critique of the Gotha Programme".
^ Mary Gabriel (October 29, 2011). "Who was Karl Marx?". CNN.
^ "You know that the institutions, mores, and traditions of various countries must be taken into consideration, and we do not deny that there are countries – such as America, England, and if I were more familiar with your institutions, I would perhaps also add Holland – where the workers can attain their goal by peaceful means. This being the case, we must also recognise the fact that in most countries on the Continent the lever of our revolution must be force; it is force to which we must some day appeal to erect the rule of labour." La Liberté Speech delivered by Karl Marx on 8 September 1872, in Amsterdam
^ Hal Draper (1970). "The Death of the State in Marx and Engels". Socialist Register.
^ Niemi, William L. "Karl Marx's sociological theory of democracy: Civil society and political rights." The Social Science Journal 48.1 (2011): 39-51.
^ Miliband, Ralph. Marxism and politics. Aakar Books, 2011.
^ Springborg, Patricia. "Karl Marx on democracy, participation, voting, and equality." Political Theory 12.4 (1984): 537-556.
^ Meister, Robert. "Political Identity: Thinking Through Marx." (1991).
^ Wolff, Richard. "Marxism and democracy." Rethinking Marxism 12.1 (2000): 112-122.

[Calhoun2002-23-1] Calhoun 2002, p. 23

[Clark1998-2] Barry Stewart Clark (1998). Political economy: a comparative approach. ABC-CLIO. pp. 57–59. ISBN 978-0-275-96370-5. Retrieved 7 March 2011.

[3] Engels, Friedrich. "IX. Barbarism and Civilization". Origins of the Family, Private Property, and the State. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012 – via Marxists Internet Archive.

[4] Zhao, Jianmin; Dickson, Bruce J. (2001). Remaking the Chinese State: Strategies, Society, and Security. Taylor & Francis. p. 2. ISBN 978-0415255837. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2012 – via Google Books.

[5] Kurian, George Thomas (2011). "Withering Away of the State". The Encyclopedia of Political Science. Washington, DC: CQ Press. p. 1776. doi:10.4135/9781608712434.n1646. ISBN 9781933116440. S2CID 221178956.

[6] How To Read Karl Marx

[7] [The Class Struggles In France Introduction by Frederick Engels https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1850/class-struggles-france/intro.htm]

[8] Marx, Engels and the vote (June 1983)

[Karl_Marx:Critique_of_the_Gotha_Programme-9] "Karl Marx:Critique of the Gotha Programme".

[10] Mary Gabriel (October 29, 2011). "Who was Karl Marx?". CNN.

[11] "You know that the institutions, mores, and traditions of various countries must be taken into consideration, and we do not deny that there are countries – such as America, England, and if I were more familiar with your institutions, I would perhaps also add Holland – where the workers can attain their goal by peaceful means. This being the case, we must also recognise the fact that in most countries on the Continent the lever of our revolution must be force; it is force to which we must some day appeal to erect the rule of labour." La Liberté Speech delivered by Karl Marx on 8 September 1872, in Amsterdam

[12] Hal Draper (1970). "The Death of the State in Marx and Engels". Socialist Register.

[13] Niemi, William L. "Karl Marx's sociological theory of democracy: Civil society and political rights." The Social Science Journal 48.1 (2011): 39-51.

[14] Miliband, Ralph. Marxism and politics. Aakar Books, 2011.

[15] Springborg, Patricia. "Karl Marx on democracy, participation, voting, and equality." Political Theory 12.4 (1984): 537-556.

[16] Meister, Robert. "Political Identity: Thinking Through Marx." (1991).

[17] Wolff, Richard. "Marxism and democracy." Rethinking Marxism 12.1 (2000): 112-122.

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