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MARXIST THEORY ON THE ORIGIN OF THE STATE, There are various theories attempting to explain the origin of the state. These include the divine theory, the force theory, the social contract theory and the most accepted theory namely the Historical or evolutionary theory. However, the Marxist does not accept any of these theories as the proper explanation and instead they have put forward their own theory which can be called as the class theory of origin of the state., According to Marx and Engels the state has not existed from the very beginning of human society. The primitive society was a classless or stateless society in which all the natural resources were controlled by the people. All the people were engaged in hunting and obtain their food supply from fruits. Everything available in the nature could be used by all the people and there was no exploitation of one by the other. They worked in common and shared the fruits of production in common and private ownership of the means of production did not exist. At this stage no authority and political institution existed. This stage of human civilization is described by the Marxist thinkers as Primitive Communism., However, in course of time the productive system gradually changed. As civilization (advanced society) developed they took to agriculture and manufacture of goods. Therefore the institution of private property came into existence and this led to the division of society into two antagonistic classes – the propertied class and the propertyless class, the ruling class and the working class, the haves and the have-nots, dominant and dominated, masters and slaves, exploiter and exploited. Both these classes stood in opposition. The dominant class owned the means of production and control over the working class. The ruling class created the machinery called a state to protect their own property and interest. The ruling class uses the state as an instrument to exploit and oppressed the working class. Therefore, according to Marxist theory the state is nothing but a tool of the dominant class in the society to maintain their economic and political supremacy. The present state is a capitalist state and is used to exploit the labourers who are forced to sell their labour power to the capitalist, even the democratic state is no exception to it. Thus according to Marxist the state is the product of class struggle. Moreover when the class struggle came to an end and a classless society came into existence the state will wither away., CRITICISM, The Marxist theory of the origin of state as based on class struggle has been subjected to the following criticism:, In the first place it has been pointed out that it would be wrong to treat the state merely as an instrument of ruling class. In fact it is the first organisation of civilized life and its disappearance shall lead to utter anarchy and chaos. Aristotle and Plato views that the state is an ideal institution and an instrument of public welfare., In the second place, Marxist holds that the state was created at a particular stage in history by the ruling class. But there is no evidence in recorded history where such an event took place. State is the product of historical growth and it has taken a number of centuries to reach its present condition. It is not a man made organisation., In the third place, the critics point out that class division is not only based on economic factors but it is also based on religion, birth, caste, status and ethnicity., In the fourth place, it is wrong to regard the state as a class organisation which function only to protect the interest of the ruling class because modern states are welfare states which works for the interest of all the people of society., So we fail to accept the Marxist theory as a suitable answer to the origin of state., In conclusion it may be said that even though the Marxist theory of the origin of state has been criticized on several grounds, it however makes an important contribution in understanding the origin and nature of the state., References, IMPORTANT POINT, However, the supporters of Marxist theory postulate that the capitalist system will also be ultimately destroyed by a revolution of the proletariat. After this it will be followed by establishment of the socialist system which will be a transition stage. Finally the communist system will appear. In the communist system, there will be no classes, society will be classless. As the state is essentially an instrument of class exploitation, it will not be necessary in a classless society, it will wither away and a stateless society will be established., Marx and Engels do not advocate the immediate abolition of the state. They say that in the transitional period the proletariat will utilise the state to bring about the socialist and communist reforms. Only then after that it will automatically will wither away which it is no more necessary., State is based on force and it used all types of instrument to suppress and exploit the dependent classes. Thus it make use of military, police, courts, law, bureaucracy etc against the proletariat., In historical states or early bourgeoisie states like Athen and Roman rights were granted according to property. Right to vote were granted on the basis of property qualifications., In the advanced form of bourgeoisie–democratic system the state does not recognize property distinctions in franchise. However in actual practice even now wealth (property) plays an important role in several ways. It may be used to corrupt, bribe the politicians for getting job, bribe the voters to win in elections, buy votes, contest elections etc., Lenin holds that the state is a product of the irreconciliability of class antagonism. The existence of the states proves that the class antagonism are irreconcilable., Criticism : In the first place, it is nowhere stated in history that the origin of state is linked with the class struggle. So this theory of Marx is wrong.