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State, Power, Socialism

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The premature death of Nicos Poulantzas was, indeed, a great disaster for Marxism, and for all social theorists concerned with the critical evaluation of the State. In this, perhaps his most readable work, Poulanztas rejects the simple instrumentalist interpretation of the State in favour of a complex structuralist approach which views the state not as an instrument, but a CONTESTED FIELD. Poulantzas portrays a state that is rent through with internal contradictions: which is itself a site of struggle. For Poulantzas, the class struggle IMPRINTS itself upon the state. As he argues, "the State bathes in struggles that continually submerge it." Hence Poulantzas's view of the State as a 'strategic field' is radically opposed to the 'fortress State' perspective, where the state is an intsrument firmly in the hands of a ruling class - and must be laid seige to or 'stormed' in order to be 'smashed' and then reconstructed. There are difficulties with Poulantzas's analysis. In a fashion akin to all Structuralists, his structural determinism seems to deny to possibility of agency. From my own perspective, I would argue that class struggle does not ONLY occur structurally, but reaches a higher level with the dawning of class consciousness and the establishment of the working class as a true collective-historical ACTOR. What is more, it is not only the class struggle that imprints itself upon the state, but political struggles of all varieties. Finally, I find the non-Marxist concept of a state contested by competing 'elites' quite convincing also - in the sense that this is at least ONE dimension of the nature of the State. Hence, it is true that I harbour serious differences with the perspective put forward by Poulantzas. Nevertheless, I must conclude by asserting that his account of the State in its true, contradictory form, was one of the greatest contributions to the political theory of the State. This is a must read of Marxists and political science students alike.

The Greco-French social philosopher Nicos Poulantzas wrote five books which were translated in English. I've read and re-read his three theoretical books: Political Power and Social Classes; Classes in Contemporary Capitalism; and State Power Socialism.

I read the first of these three times, taking copious notes the second time through. Eventually I concluded that I had actually begun to understand the material. But then I wondered if I wasn't really just getting accustomed to the stuff, mistaking repetition and remembering for understanding.

With his second theoretical book, Classes in Contemporary Capitalism, Poulantzas' work became much more readable. He seemed to be finding his way stylistically, devoid of elegance, but no longer given to hopelessly long and convoluted sentences after the fashion of Althusser.

With his last theoretical book, Poulantzas found his own style, and, while sometimes a bit obscure, it represented a vast rhetorical improvement over his earlier work.

I give Poulantzas credit for disabusing me once and for all of instrumnetalism. This means, of course, that while Obama may be a better president than Bush, we're still enmeshed in the same structure of late capitalism as before. In the first decade of the 2ist century this has become unmistakable, and the cost of our location is much higher and less well hidden.

The same is true of the fact that the capitalist edifice will be rebuilt, much as it was, openly using public money. My expectations would have been higher and my current sense of disappointment a lot keener were it not for Poulantzas' instruction.

Beyound that, though I don't always understand the specific point he's making, Poulantza's insistence that capitalism and the state are mutually but imperfectly structured with respect to each other makes a great deal of sense. It would be impossible to take a capitalist social system and, using it's institutional material, make it a socialist system with a state that was consistent with this transformation.

Poulantzas seemed overly fond of using the terms cracks, fissures, and schisms to characterize the imperfect structure of a capitalist state, the non-monolithic nature of captial, and the inscription of other classes. I must admit that I was at first confused as to whether they were technical concepts or figures of speech. Now that I take them to be just non-technical images, they make a good deal of sense.

In Poulantazs' later work he introduced the concept "power bloc." This consisted of a powerful subset of capitalist enterprises that held the rest of capital in check, preventing destructive over-reaching which put capitalism in danger. When I was in graduate school, I took a course in which the professor, a Poulantzas fan, suggested that the concept of the power bloc was one of Poulantzas' most useful contributions. However, the power bloc, if it exists, seems to have shifted, in largely ineffective form, to the public sector in the U.S., due to the failure of unregulated capitalism in the private sector. Very odd, indeed.

Even after many re-readings, I admit to understanding Poulantzas only very imperfectly. In good part, this is because his theoretical work is so abstract, going page after page without an example, that it is hard to grasp concretely. I also think that Marx foresaw some of the ideas for which Poulantzas is best known, including the hopelessness of instrumentalism. This was abundantly evident in the Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. In spite of my false starts and reservations, however, I benefited from reading Poulantzas' work. I'm sure I'd have benefited more if he had had a talented and aggressive editor.

In State, Power, Socialism, Nicos Poulantzas (a member of the Greek Communist Party of the Interior from 1968 until his death in 1979 at the age of 43) advances a rigorous critique of contemporary Marxist theories of the state. Poulantzas argues against a general theory of the state, and identifying forms of class power crucial to socialist strategy that goes beyond the apparatus of the state. Long out of print, this new and highly recommended Verso Books edition of State, Power, Socialismis enhanced for students of political science with an informative introduction by Stuart Hall, critically appraising Poulantzas' achievement.

This book is based on false ideology that had been proved failed again and again through the history. It's sad that so many people nowadays try to change this nation into communist or socialism ( same role, just different name) not really knowing the truth, just based on some political ideology that human history had repeatedly proved to be failed. In fact communism is the worst political system that ever presented on earth. Because of its brutality, I escaped from that regime. And I am happy to be in this country where human freedom is mostly respected, and protected. Communist lies saying every one shares equally: In fact only, those few comrades who caused the shift of power enjoy the wealth and power, but the rest of the general citizens have no equality nor basic human right. Any one speak against government---disappear next day to "concentration camp" w/o fair trials nor justice. Communist shut down all religious freedom, or freedom of speech ( all medias are government controlled) Communists deny any form of gods but instead, they set the status of Stalin or Ma chiding, or Kimjung ill, and have to sing songs and salute for them, worship them. From elementary children to elders... Anyone dares to go against the government, ---labor camp! 1989, Tinamen square, a million chines college students marched to protest against their communist government of oppression: it was broadcasted all over the world, they were asking communist government to give them ;freedom for speech, freedom of media, business, religion, true-democracy ( not like few communist party people controlling, governing) but by election. Sooner the communist government sent them tanks and guns and indiscriminately shoot them and ran over with tanks. Whole world watched through television broadcast and shocked by their brutality. There is no "equal Justice" like the communist ideologist deceives people. Only "Elite Party Comrades" have the privileges of special health care, food market for themselves only, supply stores for them only, but the rest of the citizens live in dirt poor situation deprived from basic human rights. It's just a power shift from have to have not. Maybe somebody should arrange some "exchange living tourism" between these communist countries and America, Send those "Deceived communism lovers" to live in those communist countries for a year or two years by themselves without any privileges as American, but just as like their citizen, then maybe all these communism, socialism, totalitarian movement in American will learn the true lessons of the reality, and waken up. Also, reading the books by real defects form those communist countries will give real ideas, not just full of bologna, lying ideology (theory) books out there.

Now some ignorant Americans already forgot about this just 20 years ago's brutality that we watched with our own eyes, want to change this great nation into communist?
Please study the real history. I mean the "real history" not just that stupid "ideology of communist". In a word, if you study the true history, communist repeatedly failed last 150 years.
and it's the most evil regime in the history. Why?: Stalin communist government killed 90 millions including the vicinity nations that were turn into communism, Macho-tong communist killed 100 millions, 2 millions by North Korea, by Cambodia each, 2 millions in Africa, 200,000 latin America..so on . But most of all they all became terribly poor after communist regime,oppressing the free capitalism, except China, because they started to adapt the partial capitalism from 10 years ago after they realized the harsh economic state. Now history tells also other totalitarianistic evil regime; Hitler killed 6 million jew with other 4 million of Europeans; Japan' imperialism killed 20 million Asians during WWII, ..so on.

When communism and socialism oppress people's creativity and force them to work for "common Good", the productivity drops automatically. Why? men were not made to work for Common good. Maybe some aliens from different planet or maybe Jesus will do for common good. But not men's nature. That's why communism make every one poorer and poorer from their establishments throughout the history. When men get prosperous by working w their hards, with their creativity, they eventually help others if they are normal. because normal people appreciate God's wisdom of love and peace. But if the much power goes to God-hating communist, socialists or totalitarianistic government, you will see the corruption everywhere in their regime, instead of trying to help others or common good. Because they basically don't know, or appreciate God's wisdom of love and peace for all, they will fully manifest their selfishness and brutality filling only their throats. Why? that's the human nature w/o god. Human nature could be most brutal and selfish if they don't learn the true love from the creator as history repeatedly teach us.

Men can't govern themselves.They are naturally selfish, greedy and evil w/o god. If any political party, government have too much power, they will certainly hurt others unless they truly know jesus who always teach love and peace. That's why our America's constitution is truly great, because it was written by the God's fairness and wisdom protecting basic human rights that is originally from God , over any political unbalance. I realized only those who hate God fall into these"denying the constitution, or "let's change it "theory saying they are too old or whatever nonsense. Too old constitution? Then why the whole world always look upon America when it comes, most well practiced freedom and human right? Please have reasons.

If USA turned into communism, the power will shift to only those who hate the existing American system. They secretly controlling medias ( I already see it happened ) and brainwashing the youth with distorted facts in textbooks last 20 years. They keep change their names, their activity, and theory. Why? if they openly speak up, they know they will fail because any normal mind people will see the deception and its perversion. Look at these behind scenes of the head members. They are not normal mind, full of hatred, and causing always divisions, manipulations. Sadly this government & Geroge Soro' socialic, communistic, riots causing union leaders, hired many "paid bloggers from 4 years ago intensively promoting public hatreds & division. Real sad thing is most American publics are so ignorant, not knowing the behind scenes, get brain wash step by step through facebook, twitters, googles' net traffic.
Many good people's web site had been already blocked from public access from 2010.Do u know who r the major donors to all the ivy league schools in America? Middle Eastern Islamic terrorists sponsoring extremists. We pour our oil money into these middle eastern countries, these islamic extremists trains terrorists w our money, sending back to USA to brain wash college kids, funding mosques, from 1960' pouring into American textbook committees to distort our history, fanning the Anti-america propaganda w socialists, communism movement
together to destroy this great nation, but Americans are sleeping. While these trillion's forein oil money are eating up our nation, last prolong Democratic congress, government prohibit our own oil production saying "environmental protection". no wonder our debt is no more controllable. To any nation to be strong, they have to have their own supply of power sources. Get it? Can't go on with debts, especially to middle east. Though we fully develop all forms of green energy,it is still less than 50% of our energy sources. Before polar bears or dolphins, we are getting total broke, can't even protect them from international slaughters. Please think people & wake up from those hired bloggers & medias who were own by few extreme liberal bosses.

Collect the real historic facts, separate from the author's propaganda. Lineup the real facts, then you will see the history more accurately. Always develop the "reasoning power" of your own this way, not swayed by many false propagandas in most books, medias out there. If you don't have your own reasoning power, you will be always vulnerable and get deceived.
Interestingly always angry, poor people seem becoming the front line of deceived victims of these evil ideology. So instead, ask God to enlighten your heart to live with love and peace& goodness with others and ask your personal blessing instead of trying to destroy others who seems have.

If you believe somebody or some classes hurt your people, look at this. Bible says: forgive your enemy, don't live with your past: Don't covet your neighbors: work diligently on your own hands so you don't steal, become a burden to others. And lastly, love your neighbors as yourself. Then you will live in the true blessing of God, the creator.Robbing others' or violance, riots r not the answers. God wants us to be : good, righteous, & truthful. Those citizens of china and all the other communist countries, including north koreaa, who are brutally oppressed in the middle Eastern Islam tyrannies still wants their human freedom with the destruction of the oppressing totalitarianistic regime still today. So why move to backward of mistakes people?