The Ruling Class Does Not Rule
Notes on the Marxist Theory of the State
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20042075 |
|---|---|
| Authors | F Block (0000-0003-3170-074X, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Pages | 32-46 |
| Publication date | 2021-02-14 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | Political Economy : Readings in the Politics and Economics of American Public Policy (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.4324/9781315495811-5 |
| OpenAlex | W3011475740 |
| ISBN | 9781315495811 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 228 |
This chapter discusses the elements of an alternative Marxist theory of the state. It shows that critiques of orthodox Marxist theory of the state are flawed by their acceptance of the idea of a class-conscious ruling class. The chapter argues that there is a basis in Marx's writing for rejecting the idea of a class-conscious ruling class. The major development in the Marxist theory of the state in recent years has been the formulation of a critique of instrumentalism. The way out of this theoretical bind, the way to formulate a critique of instrumentalism that collapse, is to reject the idea of a class-conscious ruling class. The chapter also argues that a viable Marxist theory of the state depends on the rejection of the idea of a conscious, politically directive, ruling class. Substantial progress has been made in formulating a critique of orthodox Marxist formulations that reduce the state to a mere reflection of economic interests
Algorithm · Class (philosophy) · Epistemology · Marxist philosophy · Mathematical economics · Political science · Politics · Ruling class · State (computer science) · Law · Mathematics · Philosophy · Political Economy and Marxism
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| Unique citing works | 228 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 4,75 |
| Citation span | 1978 - 2025 (48) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | Yes |
| Citation types | Neutral: 99 |