The Role Of The State For Marx and Roussau

[redpunk1917]

Hello everybody,
Ive got about 30 hours to write an essay on the differing opinions of Karl Marx and Jean Jacques Rousseau on the role of the state. Can anyone give me a few pointers, ive got a bunch of books its just time consuming trawling through them all. Any basic points would be appreciated.

Thanks

[BreadBros]

Very simply:

Marx sees the state as existing in order to mediate class conflicts within society. The different economic classes in society (bourgeoisie, proletariat) are in constant conflict in society. While the state exists as a creation of the bourgeoisie it primarily exists to manage elements of society and create societal and economic peace to allow capitalist production to continue.

Rousseau sees the state in much of the same light that John Locke does. To him the state essentially acts as a "social contract". Its a contract where individuals give up their individual total freedom to the "general will" (i.e. whatever is good for society as a whole, even if its negative for that individual). Its a contract to agree to act within certain social bounds that are collectively set-up, with the tacit agreement that others will also follow them. The difference between Rousseau and Locke is that Locke sees the "social contract" as being made between a state and it's populace while Rousseau sees the state as being a product of the social contract made between the individuals in a society.

For Rousseau most of his writings on the state are found in 'The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right'. For Marx you will find references to the state throughout his writings but in particular in 'Capital', the 'Critique of the Gotha Program' (both of which are online) and in the Manifesto. Thats some pretty basic info, do you have any specific questions?

[redpunk1917]

I cant really think of any specific questions right now,. but thanks so much for your help!

[redpunk1917]

Hey what about Rousseau and Marx's concept of an ideal state? Marx's was dependent on a prolaterian revolution, establishing a dictatorship of the prolateriat...this would eventually be withered away into communism...?

[BobKKKindle$]

Rousseau believed that, in the absence of the state, human society would be a 'state of nature', and, due to the absence of a series of institutions that had a monopoly of the legitimate use of violence within a defined territorial area (in a word - the state) would be characterised by violence and disorder. Rousseau believed that the state should be seen as something good, because he felt that benefits through collective security and social order were greater than the loss of freedom (most notably the freedom to impose our will upon others through violence) that arose from the power of the state. It should be clear, then, that there exists clear conflict between Anarchists and Rousseau.