"The proletariat uses the State not in the interests of freedom but in order to hold down its adversaries, and as soon as it becomes possible to speak of freedom the State as such ceases to exist"
- Friedrich Engels
About this Quote
This quote by Friedrich Engels is referring to the power of the proletariat, or the working class, and how they utilize the State to their benefit. Engels is recommending that the proletariat use the State to oppress their enemies, which when liberty is possible, the State is no longer needed. This implies that the State is only essential when there is a power imbalance between the proletariat and their adversaries. Engels is recommending that when flexibility is achieved, the State is no longer needed as it is no longer needed to oppress the proletariat's enemies. This quote is a suggestion of the value of liberty and how it can be achieved through the power of the proletariat. It likewise works as an alerting to those in power, that if they do not provide flexibility to the proletariat, then the State will no longer be necessary.
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