A critique of Nicos Poulantzas

Issue: Posted: 7 February 07 Colin Barker This article first appeared in International Socialism issue 4 (Spring 1 7 ! under the title: " #$e%& 'eformism()" *riti+ue of the Political Theory of $icos Poulant,as- Today. in the conte/t of a radicalising anticapitalist mo0ement. many old ideas are returning in ne% conte/ts- Poulant,as is once again being cited in arguments o0er strategies for the mo0ement and many of the criticisms raised by *olin 1ar2er retain their pertinence-

A New Reformism?A Critique of the Political Theory of Nicos Poulantzas

or some years now! there has "een a welcome re#i#al in $ar%ist &iscussion on the 'tate( Two names! a"o#e all! ha#e "een associate& with that &iscussion: Ral)h $ili"an& an& Nicos Poulantzas( *

Here we have the old constitutional folly. The condition of a free government is not the division but the UNITY of ower. The machinery of government cannot be too sim le. It is always the craft of !naves to ma!e it com licated and mysterious." #arl $ar% &

Criticism of the wor+ of "oth authors has "een a"un&ant( Amon, the more )erce)ti#e critics - it was note&! se)arately for each writer! that his wor+ was o)en to reformist inter)retation( .oth )ro&uce& wor+s from which re#olutionary socialists coul& learn! "ut the way in which each ar,ue& his case was such that reformist lessons coul& not "e rule& out( This )ossi"ility &i& not arise "ecause of the rea&iness of reformists to &istort anythin, they come across! an& )er#ert it( /Thou,h that is a well0+nown )henomenon(1 Rather! the #ery way in which $ili"an& an& Poulantzas constructe& their accounts of the state an& of ca)italist society was itself am"i,uous from this #iew)oint( Rather schematically! we can see where the heart of the )ro"lem lay( Poulantzas in one of his own contri"utions to the New 2eft Re#iew! su,,este& that a +ey )ro"lem with $ili"an& was his lac+ of any theoretical )ro"lematic( 3e was! in fact! quite wron,: $ili"an&s The 'tate in Ca)italist 'ociety re#eale& that he ha& a #ery &istinct theoretical )ro"lematic! a theory of society( That theory was quite &ifferent from $ar%s! howe#er( Poulantzas faile& to notice this! a"o#e all! "ecause he ma&e the same fun&amental mista+e as $ili"an&thou,h on &ifferent ,roun&s( 4hat was the mista+e? At root! it was a failure to com)rehen& $ar%s enormous theoretical "rea+throu,h! in )articular "y com)arison with the classical )olitical economists to whose critique he &e#ote& a lar,e )art of his theoretical life wor+( $ar%s achie#ement in this s)here lay! a"o#e all! in his a"ility to ,et "ehin& the cate,ories of )olitical economy#alue! ca)ital! )ro)erty! rent! state! class! etcan& to show that these e%)resse& historically create& social relationshi)s( In )articular! $ar% showe& that )ro&uction coul& only "e a&equately un&erstoo& if it were seen as a social )rocess throu,h which human "ein,s create an& recreate their own worl&( ar from "ein, sim)ly a technical relationshi) "etween human "ein,s an& nature!

)ro&uction was also centrally a social acti#ity throu,h which menin the se%ist lan,ua,e of the 56th centuryma&e their own history! their own society( To un&erstan& )ro&uction! it was necessary to ,ras) its #arious social forms( Thus! at the "e,innin, of Ca)ital! $ar% analyses the commo&ity as the e%)ression of a &ou"le )ro&uction )rocess: it is! simultaneously! a use0#alue! a thin, of use to human "ein,s! an& a #alue! the e%)ression of a certain +in& of social relationshi) amon, )ro&ucers( In )ro&ucin, commo&ities! we )ro&uce not only useful thin,s! "ut also a &istinct form of society foun&e& on alienate& social relations( 'imilarly! all the other lan,ua,e of )olitical economy has to "e reconstrue& to re#eal this acti#e! social creati#e )rocess( 4or+ers in ca)italist factories ma+e cars! steel! chemicals! tooth"rushes! etc: "ut in this #ery act of ma+in, thin,s! they also )ro&uce sur)lus #alue( Their wor+ acti#ity ta+es a form in which they re)ro&uce their "osses! )ro&ucin, the means "y which their own e%)loitation an& &omination is continue&( The whole social or&errelationshi)s of family! state! science! e&ucation! etcshoul& "e un&erstoo& as )er)etually )ro&uce& an& re)ro&uce& elements ma&e "y real acti#e in&i#i&uals in their social interconnections( It is not that one section of society ma+es society! ma+es the en#ironment! etc! while another is merely the )assi#e! or,anise& section( All human history is the recor& of acti#ity of all the in&i#i&uals who com)ose it( 3ence! for $ar%! re#olutionary socialist )olitics is ,roun&e& in an un&erstan&in, of history( The #ery )ossi"ility of socialismof a society in which the whole )o)ulation ma+es its own society consciously an& in accor&ance with a &emocratically &etermine& )lanrests on the analysis of ca)italist an& other class societies: for what men an& women ha#e ma&e an& rema&e they can rema+e a,ain in line with their own self0&e#elo)e& nee&s an& )erce)tions( 3owe#er ra&ical a "rea+ with the )ast a socialist re#olution may "e! it &oes not intro&uce into history an entirely new )rinci)le! the self0acti#ity of human "ein,s( 4ithout that self0acti#ity! the whole of )ast history cannot "e un&erstoo&( Thus $ar%s more )hiloso)hical writin,s are all of a )iece with his re#olutionary )olitics( 3is critique of 3e,el! an& of mechanical materialism! is all of a )iece with his critiques of )olitical economy an& of #arious socialisms from a"o#e( 4ithin this )ers)ecti#e! it is the )articular form that social relationshi)s ta+e which &efines the #arious mo&es of )ro&uction( In class societies! li+e ca)italist society! the +ey to com)rehen&in, society is the form that the acti#e stru,,le "etween the classes ta+es( In )articular! the mo&es of action an& the social relationshi)s amon, the o))resse& ma7ority are crucial to com)rehen&in, how the society is maintaine&! an& how it may "e o#erthrown throu,h re#olutionary )ractice( Now! while the analyses of $ili"an& an& Poulantzas are not the same! it is a))arent that in neither of these authors wor+ is this central un&erstan&in, of the class stru,,le! an& in )articular of the forms of acti#ity of the e%)loite& classes! )resent as a central an& &efinin, element( Thus there is a measura"le &istance "etween their analyses an& those of $ar%( In $ili"an&s case! The 'tate in Ca)italist 'ociety rests on a theory of society which as one of his more acute critics! Isaac .al"us 8 )ointe& outcom"ines elite theory an& stratification theory( That is! the whole stu&y is or,anise& aroun& the theme! not of class stru,,le! "ut class &omination( In $ili"an&s stu&y! only the rulin, class

a))ears to act( In the #arious institutions which he analyses! there is little or no sense of a conflict of classes( /9i#en that his "oo+ was )u"lishe& in 56:6! for instance! it is remar+a"le that his account of e&ucation in schools an& colle,es says nothin, a"out stu&ent re#olt;1 Thus his stu&y is #ery one0&imensional in its em)hases( 4hen he &iscusses the "ases of e%istence of the rulin, classes! he em)hasises not their role in )ro&uction "ut their "enefits from &istri"ution( Thus the rulin, classes are )rimarily &efine& in terms of their /)assi#e1 )ossession of riches rather than their /acti#e1 role as ca)italists( The wor+in, class! similarly! is &efine& as the class that wor+s har&est an& ,ets least! not as a class whose stru,,les an& forms of or,anisation sha)e the form of society( The wor+in, class as an acti#e! creati#e! stru,,lin, class &oes not a))ear in the "o&y of his analysis: there it merely suffers( 'o! when it su&&enly )o)s out on the last )a,e of the "oo+! as the force which will one &ay wi)e out ca)italism! the i&ea a))ears as a &ecorati#e a&&ition rather than the conclusion of a sin,le ar,ument( As for the state! $ili"an& &e#otes little s)ace to a &iscussion of the #arious institutional means "y which the )resent state e%clu&es the wor+in, class from )ower( Rather! he em)hasises its class character "y the metho&s of ortho&o% sociolo,y: "y e%aminin, not its forms "ut the social class ori,ins of its u))er mem"ers! their )ossession of attitu&es a+in to those of the rich! etc( Thus! as <ohn 2ea = )ointe& out! he lea#es o)en the question whether the machinery of the state can "e ca)ture& an& use& "y wor+in, class )arties for the "enefit of the wor+in, class an& to &estroy ca)italism( 3e lea#es une%)laine& an& uncriticise& the #ery forms of the stateits characteristic "ureaucracy! the &emocratic sham! the nation0state form! etc( The wor+ of Poulantzas! on the other han&! rests on a system of thin+in, &e#elo)e& "y the Althusserian school! a system which has alrea&y "een the su"7ect of a num"er of im)ortant critiques( : The Althusserian system re)resente&! in one sense! a reaction a,ainst an inter)retation of $ar%ism which it calle& economismthe #iew that the historical )rocess is the )ro&uct of chan,es in the forces of )ro&uction! i(e( a form of &eterminism( It is characteristic of economism /or what Colletti terme& the $ar%ism of the 'econ& International > 1 that )ro&uction is treate& as a technical an& not simultaneously a social )rocess( 3owe#er! as 'imon Clar+e su,,ests /see note -1 the attem)t to a#oi& the tra) of economism is not necessarily to fall on the ,roun& of $ar%ism( There are other )ossi"le tra)s( In&ee&! Althusser lea)s into another hole! one in which e#en the wor+s of $ar% himself ha#e to un&er,o a ma7or )rocess of rewritin, an& rerea&in, if they are to "e )ur,e& of their innumera"le failin,s( In )lace of economism! Althusser )ro)ose& the i&ea that societies "e consi&ere& as com)le% systems of inter&e)en&ent le#elsthe economic! the )olitical an& the i&eolo,icalall of which mutually inter)enetrate each other "ut o#er which the economic is &eterminant in the last instancewhich last instance! Althusser assure& his rea&ers! ne#er comes( It has "een )ointe& out "y en&less critics that Althussers system stron,ly )arallels the system &e#elo)e& "y the conser#ati#e American sociolo,ist! Talcott Parsons! that it is a structural functionalism( It certainly is a system! as Parsons is! in which it is &ifficult to locate )rinci)les of historical chan,e( 3istory! as a )rocess without a su"7ect! consists of a series of mo&es of )ro&uction each of which is treate& as an eternity( Nothin, within each mo&e threatens it: to "elie#e so is to fall into the tra) of economism or historicism( The system is ra&ically elitist in its em)hases: Althusser ma+es a &istinction "etween

science an& i&eolo,y accor&in, to which all forms of society require i&eolo,y! so that socialism too will ha#e to "e a system which is ultimately im)enetra"le to all "ut its few scientific mem"ers( Poulantzas too+ o#er this system( 3is central account of the state was cast in functionalist terms: it is the ,lo"al factor of social cohesion( The state! as "oth re)ressi#e an& i&eolo,ical a))aratuses! hol&s the whole system to,ether( Not only this! "ut the state actually forms an& structures the relations of )ro&uction! formin, isolate& in&i#i&uals an& thus the relations of com)etition which characterise the ca)italist form of society( It I' not the case that the state in any sense rises out of or e%)resses the social relations of ca)italist )ro&uction an& e%chan,e: it constitutes these relations( In ta+in, o#er the Althusserian system! Poulantzas a&&e& somethin, which in Althusser is chiefly &ecoration: classes( .ut his classes are forme& in the relati#ely autonomous ?)olitical07uri&ical le#el@! not within the relations of )ro&uction( In the economic le#el there occurs a )ro&uction )rocessthe )ro&uction of ,oo&s! "ase& on technically concei#e& relations of )ro&uction consistin, of a com"ination of wor+ers! instruments an& o"7ects of )ro&uction! an& non0wor+ers( Nowhere in Poulantzass analysis &o we fin& an account of the class stru,,le un&erstoo& as a set of social relations throu,h which )eo)le )ro&uce ca)italist society( 'ocial relations are )olitically constitute&! in the relati#e autonomy of the )olitical07uri&ical s)here( Aes)ite the consi&era"le &ifferences "etween $ili"an& an& Poulantzas /which &ifferences e%ten&e& to their com)rehensi"ility1! they share& a common startin, )oint( .oth "e,an with technically concei#e& relations of )ro&uction! onto which they then constructe& social /class1 relationshi)s of &istri"ution! of ownershi) an& a))ro)riation( As a result! "oth of them ha& &ifficulty in e%)lainin, chan,e within their analytical framewor+s( Thus "oth faile& to relate their &iscussion of fascism /a "rief section in $ili"an&! a whole "oo+ "y Poulantzas1 to the interwar crisis of worl& ca)italismB neither e%amine& the forms of the class stru,,le un&er 3itler or $ussolini( .oth! &es)ite consi&era"le ar,uments "etween them! offere& similar analyses of i&eolo,y an& i&eolo,ical a))aratuses! which they "oth )resente& as internally coherent an& non0contra&ictory! an& certainly not as i&eas sha)e& an& resha)e& in the )rocess of stru,,le "etween the classes( To "orrow a term from Althusser! there is a #ery si,nificant a"sence in "oth of them( Neither ,i#es an account of the class stru,,le! roote& in the social )ro&uction relations of ca)italism! as the +ey or,anisin, an& &isor,anisin, set of social relations in ca)italist society( In neithers analysis! therefore! &oes the actual stru,,le of wor+ers )lay any si,nificant role( In that crucial sense! the analytical framewor+s of "oth writers were always o)en to reformist )olitical inter)retation( Cntil recently! howe#er! final 7u&,ement on them ha& to "e hel&( .ut "oth writers ha#e now ta+en the )olitical )lun,e quite &irectly! )u"lishin, "oo+s with e%)licitly reformist )olitical )ro,rammes( $ili"an& conclu&es his recent $ar%ism an& Politics with some reflections on the Chilean &e"acle( The lesson he &raws from the &ownfall of the Allen&e re,ime is! in essence! that the same e%)erience must "e re)eate&B only! ne%t time there will ha#e to "e )resent a ,rou)in, of socialists who will )oint out to the reformist ,o#ernment the necessity of &ee)enin, the )rocess of social transformation in its own &efence( Thus a social re#olution will "e achie#e& without all the 'turm un& Aran, of an actual re#olution( D

An& now Nicos Poulantzas has )u"lishe& a "oo+! 'tate! Power! 'ocialism 6 whose a))earance announces that the famous ?$ili"an&0Poulantzas &e"ate@ is! in all essential res)ects! o#er( or the two of them are in "asic )olitical a,reement with each other( .oth ha#e )lace& themsel#es on the ?left win,@insofar as that is a meanin,ful termof the )resent ?Eurocommunist@ ten&ency( .oth ha#e announce&! unam"i,uously! their "reach with the $ar%ism that asserts! with $ar%! that the emanci)ation of the wor+in, class must "e conquere& "y the wor+in, class itself( Poulantzass proposals Poulantzas su,,ests that the transition to socialism must )rocee& on two le#els( Fn one han&! the )arliamentary system must "e "oth use& "y the 2eft! an& maintaine& as an inte,ral )art of socialist )olitics( Fn the other han&! an& in )arallel! there must "e a &e#elo)ment of wor+ers councils or self0mana,ement "o&ies! or,anise& on the )rinci)le of &irect &emocracy( The )ro"lem is to fin& a &emocratic roa& to socialism! a &emocratic socialism! )ose& as follows:
how is it ossible radically to transform the 'tate in such a manner that the e%tension and dee ening of olitical freedoms and the institutions of re resentative democracy (which were also a con)uest of the o ular masses* are combined with the unfurling of forms of direct democracy and the mushrooming of self+management bodies &,

The fun&amental )ro"lem is that of com"inin, a transforme& re)resentati#e &emocracy with &irect! ran+0an&0file &emocracy( 55 Aemocratic socialism is the only +in& )ossi"le( 5* At the national le#el! central ,o#ernment is to "e or,anise& on a )arliamentary "asis( This! he ma+es clear in the Inter#iew with 3enri 4e"er! in#ol#es a ,o#ernment electe& "y uni#ersal suffra,e! on a secret "allot! with no im)erati#e man&ate o#er $Ps! no ri,ht of recall o#er $Ps! 5- ri,hts for "our,eois )arties( 58 In a&&ition to this national system! there are to "e local "o&ies "ase& on the )rinci)les of &irect &emocracy! i(e( with recall of &ele,ates! man&ation of &ele,ates! etc( Parliamentary! re)resentati#e &emocracy nationally! )lus wor+ers councils "ase& on factories! etc: these two forms are to co0e%ist! an& "e articulate& to,ether! in ways Poulantzas a&mits 5= he cant at this sta,e s)ecify #ery )recisely:
the answer to such )uestions does not yet e%ist-not even as a model theoretically guaranteed in some holy te%t or other.

As he e%)lains! this i&ea in#ol#es quite &efinitely a"an&onin, the i&ea of smashin, the e%istin, state an& re)lacin, it with a state of the +in& cele"rate& "y $ar% in the Paris Commune:
...the e% ression swee ing transformation of the state a aratus in the democratic road to socialism" suggests that there is no longer a lace for what has traditionally been called smashing or destroying that a aratus. The fact remains. however. that the term smashing. which $ar% too used for indicative ur oses. came in the end to designate a very recise historical henomenon/ namely. the eradication of any !ind of re resentative democracy or formal" liberties in favour urely of direct. ran!+and+file democracy and so+called real liberties. It is necessary to ta!e sides0 tal! of smashing or destroying the state a aratus can be no more than a mere verbal tric!. 1hat is involved. through all the various transformations. is a real ermanence and continuity of the institutions of re resentative democracy-not as unfortunate relics to be tolerated for as long as necessary. but as an essential condition of democratic socialism. &2

No more tal+! either! of the &ictatorshi) of the )roletariat: $ar%! who use& the term! use& it
as a notion of a lied strategy. serving at most as a sign ost. It referred to the class nature of the 'tate and to the necessity of its transformation in the transition to socialism and the rocess of the withering away of the 'tate. &3

Continue& use of the term &ictatorshi) of the )roletariat woul& only o"scure Poulantzass )ro,ramme: he therefore su))orts the PC s Gthe rench Communist PartyH &ecision to &ro) the i&ea( Therefore! Poulantzas criticises those in the PC who want to retain the )hrase in the )arty )ro,ramme /e(,( Etienne .ali"ar1( 'uch )eo)le! he su,,ests! are ,i#en to utterin, &o,matic "analities of the followin, +in&: (((e#ery 'tate is a class 'tateB all )olitical &omination is a s)ecies of class &ictatorshi)B the ca)italist 'tate is a 'tate of the "our,eoisie( 5D No &ou"t it is true that these &o,matic "analities ha#e! on occasion! "een uttere& without e%amination! with criticism! without &ee)enin, of their meanin,( .ut &oes this ma+e them incorrect? /The "etter )art of Poulantzass own wor+ has "een &e#ote& to eluci&atin, their truth! after all(1 Poulantzas continues his &iscussion of these "analities "y su,,estin, that such an analysis is inca)a"le of a&#ancin, research "y a sin,le inch! an& that it cant hel) us un&erstan& concrete situations! since it cannot account for the &ifferential forms an& historical transformations of the ca)italist 'tate( 56 This +in& of sim)lification le& to the &isasters of 'talinism in the face of facism! he su,,ests( It has to "e note& that Poulantzas refers to only one +in& of &isaster;in the face of fascism: the social fascism analysis which un&er)inne& the 9erman Communist Partys a))allin, tactics in the face of 3itler( .ut can the social fascism &octrine "e attri"ute& to the "analities outline& a"o#e? Not without )olitical me&iations! it cant( Trots+y! for one! ne#er &ou"te& the truth of these &o,matic "analities! yet his analysis of the rise of 3itler! an& his )ro)osals for a unite& front to &efeat the Nazis! ha#e yet to "e "ettere&! urthermore! it was the for,ettin, of these! &o,matic "analities which le& the Comintern in the Po)ular ront )erio& /on which Poulantzas is quite silent1 to ,ro#el "efore the .lum ,o#ernment in rance an& to follow a strate,y in ')ain from which all the ,ains were ma&e "y 9eneral ranco( Poulantzas! howe#er! can har&ly criticise the Po)ular ront: his )ro)osals are for a re0run of that e%)erience( Poulantzass )ro)osals! I want to su,,est! woul& if )ursue& )ro&uce &isaster( They woul& in#ol#e the wor+in, class re)eatin, a whole series of &efeats alrea&y e%)erience& this century( 3is )ro,rammatic utterances announce his own! unam"i,uous! "reach with $ar%ism( An& his ar,umentation for them is #ery wea+( Does workers power necessitate Stalinism? Poulantzas su,,ests that the classical $ar%ist conce)tion of socialist re#olution &estruction of the e%istin, state a))aratus an& its re)lacement "y &irect wor+ers &emocracylea&s &irectly to statism! i(e( to 'talinism( All the horrors of 'talinism! to which the communist )arties are now "ecomin, sensiti#e! were roote& in the way the Russian Re#olution was con&ucte&( This! of course! is a )ro)osition that fin&s

rea&y assent from a chorus of li"erals an& other anti0socialists! so Poulantzas e#o+es the seemin,ly im)ressi#e authority of Rosa 2u%em"ur,( In 565D! this ,reat 9erman re#olutionary socialist wrote a )am)hlet stron,ly criticisin, the .olshe#i+s for! amon, other thin,s! their &issolution of the Constituent Assem"ly( Poulantzas! howe#er! &oes not offer much in the way of concrete &ata on the question( An& a few matters ha#e to "e face& &irectly( 4as 2u%em"ur,s criticism of the .olshe#i+s correct? 4hy &i& the .olshe#i+s! who& "een the most acti#e cam)ai,ners for the Constituent Assem"ly! then &issol#eit "y force? 4ere they wron, to &o so? Fn the first issue! that of 2u%em"ur,s criticisms! Poulantzas fails to mention a cou)le of ,ermane )oints( The first is that! accor&in, to some historians *I she later retracte& this s)ecific criticism of the .olshe#i+s( .ut it shoul& also "e note& that within a year of the Russian Re#olution she was to "e face& with e%actly the same issue in 9ermany( There Jauts+ys C'PA ma&e )ro)osals of e%actly the same +in& Poulantzas now a&#ocates: for a National Assem"ly )lus so#iets( Rosa 2u%em"ur, was utterly uncom)romisin, in her o))osition to the i&ea( Poulantzas &oes not quote her o)inion on the matternot sur)risin,ly(
1hoever leads for a National 4ssembly is consciously or unconsciously de ressing the revolution to the historical level of a bourgeois revolution/ he is a camouflaged agent of the bourgeoisie or an unconscious agent of the etty bourgeoisie. 5&

an& a,ain:
The ath of the revolution follows clearly from its ends. Its methods follow from its tas!s. 4ll ower in the hands of the wor!ing masses. in the hands of the wor!ers" and soldiers" councils. This is the guiding rinci le0 6very act. every ste must li!e a com ass oint in this direction. 55

The National Assem"ly! rather than a ,uarantee of &emocratic socialism! was that counter0re#olutionary stron,hol& erecte& a,ainst the wor+in, class( *Thus! in her own )ractice! Rosa 2u%em"ur, &i& not "elie#e in the maintenance of )arliamentary forces( 3a& she su&&enly lost her /565>1 commitment to &emocracy? ar from it: her )osition arose &irectly from her )rofoun& commitment to &emocracy! from her "elief that nothin, shoul& stan& "etween the wor+in, class an& &irect )ower( Clearly! if we are to )lay the ,ame of citin, authorities! 2u%em"ur, is a )oor one for Poulantzas to quote( 4hy &i& the .olshe#i+s &issol#e the Constituent Assem"ly? They certainly ha& "een cam)ai,nin, for a Constituent Assem"ly to "e con#ene& &urin, 565>( In&ee&! their ar,ument ha& "een that only a )owerful so#iet system coul& ,uarantee a Constituent Assem"ly( It &oes not seem to ha#e occurre& to them! )rior to Fcto"er! that there mi,ht "e a conflict "etween so#iets an& Assem"ly( In itself that isnt #ery sur)risin,: the .olshe#i+s were in the )rocess of recastin, $ar%ist theory in action( After all! they entere& the re#olution "elie#in, it woul& "e a "our,eois re#olution: "efore e"ruary! only the isolate& non0.olshe#i+! Trots+y! with his theory of )ermanent re#olution! thou,ht otherwise( The Fcto"er u)risin, com)letely altere& the )icture( 2enin was amon, the first to ,ras) this! ur,in, a &elay in the Constituent Assem"ly elections an& e%tension of the #ote to 5D year ol&s( As so often! he faile& to win a ma7ority for his )ro)osal! an& the

elections went ahea&( F#erall! the 'ocialist Re#olutionaries won a clear ma7ority! thou,h the stren,th of their #ote was &irectly )ro)ortional to the #oters &istance from the centres of the re#olution( The 'R #ictory was! at "est! am"i,uously &emocratic: in the u)risin,! the 'Rs ha& s)lit! with the 2eft 'Rs su))ortin, the u)risin, an& the Ri,ht o))ose&! yet the elections lists were )resente& "y a unite& )arty( Thus it wasnt clear what the electorate ha& actually #ote& for( Fn the Assem"lys first &ay! the .olshe#i+s )ronounce& ratification of the so#iet seizure of )ower! the &ecree on lan&! the &ecree on )eace! wor+ers control of )ro&uction! etc( .y *-> to 5-: #otes! the Assem"ly re7ecte& the motion( The same &ay it was &is)erse&( It ha& "ecome the rallyin, centre for counter0re#olution! as it continue& to "e in the Ci#il 4ar that "ro+e out within months( Not to ha#e &is)erse& the Constituent Assem"ly woul& ha#e "een a crime a,ainst the re#olution: it woul& ha#e )ermitte& the re0emer,ence of a situation of &ual )ower! with two ri#al national )olitical centres! each with o))ose& aims an& metho&s( To su,,est! as &oes Poulantzas /who also re)eats the ol& canar& a"out 2enins 4hat Is To .e Aone )refi,urin, 'talinism *= 1 that it was this e#ent which le& to 'talinism is a most fantastic historical 7u&,ement an& a )iece of utter formalism( The tra,e&y of the &e,eneration of the Russian Re#olution arose! a"o#e all! from the wor+in, classs loss of its a"ility to ,o#ern &irectly! un&er the im)act of the isolation of the Re#olution an& the terri"le ri,ours of the Ci#il 4ar! the &e0ur"anisation! famine! colla)se of )ro&uction! etc( The 'o#iets! the li#in, heart of the re#olution! cease& to "eat with the life of the Russian wor+ers( Not! let it "e em)hasise&! initially throu,h the "ureaucratic mani)ulations of any anti0&emocratic )arty or lea&ershi)! "ut un&er the terrifyin, )ressure of circumstances( *: Representative Democracy Poulantzass secon& line of ar,ument is his insistence that re)resentati#e &emocracy! i(e( )arliamentarism! is the +ey ,uarantee of the )reser#ation of )olitical free&oms( Thus it is the strate,ic line of &efence a,ainst state authoritarianism( In his inter#iew! he cites the o)inion of the Italian social &emocrat No"ert .o""io:
78obbio9 did highlight one oint. He said/ If we want to maintain liberties. the lurality of e% ression. etc.. then all I !now is that throughout history these liberties have been cou led with a form of arliament." :ertainly he e% ressed it in a social+democratic form. 8ut yet. I wonder if there isn"t a core of truth in that. if the maintenance of formal olitical liberties doesn"t re)uire the maintenance of the institutional forms of ower of re resentative democracy. ;bviously they would be transformed/ it"s not a matter of !ee ing the bourgeois arliament as it is. etc. 53

Poulantzas &oesnt offer #ery much "y way of ar,uments for re)resentati#e &emocracy "eyon& the o"ser#ation that "oth this form of ,o#ernment an& other )olitical free&oms were conquests of the masses( 3istorically! thou,h we mi,ht ca#il at this sim)lification of the )ath "y which wor+ers won ci#il an& )olitical ri,hts un&er ca)italism! we nee&nt o"7ect in )rinci)le( $ar%ists continue to &efen& those ri,hts a,ainst attac+s from the ri,ht( Fn the other han&! we also &o not ,lamourise the e%tent or nature of these ri,hts an& free&oms( In )articular! we ha#e to reco,nise the #ery am"i,uous an& limite& character of the conquest in#ol#e& in re)resentati#e &emocracy( /In&ee&! "oth in his earlier wor+! Political Power an& 'ocial Classes! an& in&ee& in his latest offerin,! Poulantzas is not uninterestin, on the whole issue: he

)ro#i&es )lenty of materials for &enouncin, )arliamentary ,o#ernment as sham &emocracy(1 2ets recall a few of the ma7or limitations on what is )ro)erly calle& "our,eois &emocracy( 4or+ers in the ca)italist &emocracies ha#e the ri,ht to #ote in )arliamentary an& local elections( This ri,ht they e%ercise throu,h the secret "allot *D ( Thus each #oter e%ercises his )ower in isolation from any community! as an in&i#i&ual in an atomise& relation to the state( This atomistic relation "etween citizen an& state was a ma7or theme in $ar%s critique of the ca)italist state! from the early 5D8Is! an& is in&ee& continue& in Poulantzass own writin,s *6 ( In&i#i&ual #otin, is not a matter for )u"lic &iscussion! or for meetin,s( It is utterly in&i#i&ualise&( Re#olutionaries ha#e always ar,ue& that mass meetin,s are more &emocratic than secret "allots! since they )ermit the e%ercise of wi&er +in&s of )olitical reasonin, than can "e a))lie& "y the isolate& #oter( In a mass meetin,! issues can "e &iscusse&! ar,uments refute&( In a mass meetin,! estimates can "e ma&e of the ,eneral le#el of su))ort for some )ro)osals for action! an& thus of the li+elihoo& of that action "ein, successful( This is not )ossi"le with the secret "allot( 'econ&ly! an& notoriously! #oters ha#e no real control o#er their electe& re)resentati#es( There is no effecti#e ri,ht of recall! no effecti#e man&ate which #oters can e%ercise o#er $Ps! etc( The #oters elect the $P as isolate& #oters! an& as such ha#e no control o#er him or her( The $P is )rotecte& from control "y constituents "y a whole ,amut of )ri#ile,es once he or she is electe&( The $P ceases to re)resent anyone once electe&( In the late 5Dth century! the conser#ati#e E&mun& .ur+e e%)resse& the relation "etween $P an& constituents #ery well when he tol& the electorate of .ristol that if they #ote& him into Parliament he woul& not re)resent them ?to the nation@! he woul& re)resent the nation to them( $ore recently! 3arol& 4ilson re)orte&ly e%)resse& the same i&ea with a &efinition of &emocracy as ,o#ernment of the )eo)le! for the )eo)le! "y the )eo)lewith the em)hasis on ,o#ernment( Thus! in the )arliamentary system! the e%ercise of )olitical free&om an& )ower consists in the few secon&s! e#ery few years! it ta+es the #oter to e%)ress a choice "etween )arliamentary misre)resentati#esmar+in, his "allot )a)er with a cross! li+e an illiterate( Thir&ly! it is in any case only the le,islature which is electe& "y the anonymous an& )owerless )arliamentary constituencies( 4e e%ercise no control o#er the remainin, )art of the state machinery: if we ,ain some influence there! it is not "y le,al0 constitutional means! "ut "y means #aryin, from riot to "ri"ery( 4e &o not elect our army! 7u&iciary! )olice or humorously name& ci#il ser#ants( Nor ha#e we effecti#e means of control o#er them( If com)laints a,ainst them are ma&e! most often they ha#e their own internal mechanisms for )ro#i&in, their own 7u&,es an& 7uries in their own cases( It is e#en e%ce)tional for the le,islature itself! i(e( Parliament! to e%ercise real control o#er the state "ureaucracies( The non0electe& )art of the statethat #ast machinery which we su))ort with ta%es an& other e%actions! an& which maintains a multi)licity of controls o#er our &aily li#esis )rotecte& from )o)ular control "y a whole #ariety of institutional means! inclu&in, rules of contem)t /note that there is no char,e of contem)t of )eo)le that can "e "rou,ht a,ainst our 7u&,es1! official secrecy /e%ten&in, e#en to the rules for 'ocial 'ecurity "enefits1! "ureaucratic a))ointment! etc( E#en the $Ps are e%clu&e& from scrutiny of lar,e )arts of the "ureaucracys )ersonnel an& actions(

ourthly! the le,islature &eals chiefly with the framin, of laws! with ,eneral rules rather than )articular cases( /Ftherwise! as ra&io listeners ha#e now &isco#ere& in .ritain! it chiefly ,enerates noise li+e a school &e"atin, society on an off afternoon(1 .ut the "usiness of mo&ern states is more an& more concerne&! not with ,eneralities an& wi&ely a))lica"le laws! "ut with s)ecifics! with the &etail of "ar,ains "etween ministries an& cor)orations! with )articular a&ministrati#e cases an& so forth( Parliaments are neither em)owere& nor com)etant to &eal with these issues( The whole framewor+ of the le,al state is thus "ein, )ro,ressi#ely un&ermine& "y ten&encies to concentrate ca)ital an& )ower( -I Frtho&o% )olitical science has re,istere& this &e#elo)ment with a ,rowin, literature on )ressure ,rou) theory! the &ecline of )arliament! etc( Parliament! which ne#er #ery )recisely re)resente& anyone! comes less an& less to( re)resent real )owers in society an& to in#ol#e itself in real &ecisions( In short! the conquest! of the #ote has )ro#e& rather insu"stantial( It cannot "e sai& that the &efence of the e%istin, ri,ht to #ote is a ma7or &efence of the &emocratic )rinci)le( Now Poulantzas! of course! wants to )reser#e a transforme& re)resentati#e &emocracy! thou,h lie is ,enerally #a,ue on how it is to "e transforme&( 4hat is not to "e transforme&! howe#er! he insists! is the secret "allot! the lac+ of a )ower of recall o#er $Ps! the lac+ of a man&ate o#er $Ps! etc( -5 'o! where#er we are to loo+ for a transformation! it is not in the &irection of &emocratisation( .ut then he claims he has an alto,ether ,ran&er aim in #iew( The tas+ is to o)en u) a ,lo"al )ers)ecti#e of the witherin, away of the state -* The i&ea of the witherin, away of the state is a no"le i&ea first &e#elo)e& "y $ar% an& En,els! alon, with their other i&eas a"out smashin, the e%istin, state! the &ictatorshi) of the )roletariat! an& the other thin,s Poulantzas wants to 7un+( It refers in $ar% an& En,els to the )rocess where"y the o#erwhelmin, ma7ority! the wor+in, class! ha#in, forme& a new state )ower un&er their &irect control! is then an& only then ca)a"le of &e#elo)in, a new )attern of social relations an& control o#er the con&itions of life such that they stan& in less an& less nee& of or,anise& #iolence to mana,e their social affairs( 4ith the witherin, away of the state! con#iction rather than coercion "ecomes societys +ey or,anisin, )rinci)le( .ut the maintenance of a )arliamentary "o&y! which is not e#en &irectly su"or&inate& to society! &oes not e#en "e,in to meet the con&itions for the realisation of this as)iration( It stan&s in the way! as an im)e&iment to &emocratic life! as a ,o#ernmental form out of the control of the )eo)le( In reality Poulantzas is not )ro)osin, a route to the witherin, away of the state: to su,,est that he is! is! in his wor&s! a #er"al tric+( In short! Poulantzass &emocratic roa& to socialism &e)en&s on the maintenance of an un&emocratic form of ,o#ernment( -Attack on workers self- overnment Poulantzass ar,ument also em"o&ies an attac+ on &irect &emocracy! on wor+ers councils as a form of ,o#ernment( 3ere too his ar,uments are #ery wea+( 3is first )oint is sim)ly a non0ar,ument: namely! that u) to now all such mo#ements of the wor+in, class! aimin, at the &ictatorshi) of the )roletariat! ha#e faile&( It is of course true: there is no socialism anywhere in the worl&( .y #arious means! e#ery re#olutionary mo#ement of the wor+in, class has so far "een "eaten "ac+( That is no

more of an ar,ument a,ainst learnin, from the historical e%)erience of these &efeats in or&er to succee& ne%t time than &rownin,s are an ar,ument a,ainst learnin, to swim( 'econ&ly! he su,,ests that the e%istin, state is too stron, to )ermit the emer,ence of a ri#al centre in a &ual )ower situation! as a )relu&e to socialist re#olution:
...if you consider the essence of the state a aratus as it is in <rance. and then the forms of centralisation of o ular ower0 1ell it"s obvious that it will be crushed before it"s ta!en more than three =um s of a flea. You surely don"t thin! that in the resent situation they will let you centralise arallel owers to the state aiming to create a counter+ ower. Things would be settled before there were even a shadow of a sus icion of such an organisation. >?

3ere Poulantzas intro&uces a whole new &imension into the &ialectic: the metho& of self0contra&iction! or ha#in, your ca+e an& eatin, it( In su))ort of his own ar,ument! the state a))ears as essentially wea+ -= ! too wea+ to "e certain of "arrin, the &emocratic roa&( or his socialist o))onents! howe#er! the state is too stron,K The ar,ument is anyway ri&iculous( 4ho! after all! thin+s that in the )resent situation in rance /or anywhere else1 wor+ers are ,oin, to try to centralise the )ower of their wor+ers councils? The #ery )recon&ition of such a &e#elo)ment is that the )resent situation has chan,e&( The i&ea of re#olution in a non0re#olutionary situation is a"sur&( E#ery re#olutionary situation has in#ol#e& a s)lit within the e%istin, state a))aratus an& the e%istin, rulin, class( A re#olutionary situation in#ol#es a crisis for the state! a loss of effecti#eness( 4ithout such a crisis there can "e no re#olution: that is )art of the A.C of $ar%ism( It is )recisely the crisis in the state which )ermits the emer,ence of a situation of &ual )ower an& the )ossi"ility of a new form of state )ower conquerin,( In )ractice! Poulantzasli+e all reformistssee+s to construe a transition to socialism from the )resent situation( 3e su,,ests that to&ays ca)italist state is "est un&erstoo& as a state in crisis! a state of crisis:
This state crisis offers the @eft new ob=ective ossibilities of a democratic transition to socialism. There are several !inds of olitical crisis/ the resent one defines for the @eft a recise field related to the ossibility of a democratic transition. 1hat is involved is neither a dual+ ower crisis nor a crisis stemming from a tendency towards fascism. >2

There are two elements here: first! a correct /if "anal1 o"ser#ation that ,eneral ten&encies to crisis are not in themsel#es re#olutionary crisesB secon& the a"sur& i&ea that there can "e a transition to socialism without a re#olutionary crisis( .y re#olutionary crisis I mean not some economic slum)! "ut a crisis in class relations of the ty)e 2enin referre& to in 2eft04in, Communism: a "oilin, situation where the rulin, class cannot +ee) rulin, in the ol& way an& the o))resse& refuse to continue "ein, rule& in the ol& way( Poulantzas sometimes reco,nises this( 3e su,,ests the election of a 2eft ,o#ernment can only amount to a social &emocratic e%)erience unless there is simultaneously a mo"ilisation of the )o)ular masses( That this woul& fun&amentally alter the )resent situation for the wor+in, class! for the state! for all forms of )olitical life! howe#er! seems to esca)e him(

Thir&ly! Poulantzas su,,estsin line with his ar,ument a"out Russiathat &irect wor+ers &emocracy lea&s to 'talinism! the su))ression of )olitical li"erties an& the crushin, of &issent:
Airect democracy. by which I mean direct democracy in the soviet sense only. has always and everywhere been accom anied by the su ression of the lurality of arties. and then the su ression of olitical and formal liberties. >3

This theme is re)eate& in the "oo+( If we "ase e#erythin, on &irect! ran+0an&0file &emocracy we ta+e a )ath that sooner or later! ine#ita"ly lea&s to statist &es)otism or the &ictatorshi) of e%)erts -D B if wor+ers councils form their own state )ower! it is not the witherin, of the 'tate or the trium)h of &irect &emocracy that e#entually emer,es! "ut a new ty)e of authoritarian &ictatorshi) -6 ( It must "e sai& that Poulantzas offers no ar,uments in su))ort of this elitist )ro)osition that wor+in, class self0,o#ernment is im)ossi"le! only flat assertions( .ut we can note two thin,s( irst! Poulantzas is wron,( There has not "een an association "etween wor+ers councils an& the &isa))earance of a )lurality of )arties /China! Cu"a! Cam"o&ia! etc! are nothin, to &o with the case! for there ne#er were wor+ers councils there1( The Paris Commune ha& a )lurality of )artiesB so &i& the ')anish wor+ers councils in 56-:0>B a +ey &eman& of the 3un,arian wor+ers councils in 56=: was a )lurality of )arties( 'econ&! what Poulantzas is actually ar,uin, for is a )lurality of "our,eois )arties( These! for him! are the ,uarantee of )olitical li"erties( It is true there has not ten&e& to "e much room for "our,eois )arties in wor+ers councilsthou,h! not so much "ecause wor+ers councils ha#e "anne& them as "ecause in re#olutionary situations "our,eois )arties &o not see+ &emocratic ri,hts within wor+ers councils! "ut see+ to &estroy themK The Constituent Assem"ly! after all! refuse& to reco,nise the so#iet )ower! an& $rs Thatchers chief interest! face& with a con,ress of wor+ers councils in .ritain! will har&ly "e one of winnin, a &ele,ation from the inchley wor+in, class; It shoul& also! )erha)s! "e notice& that Poulantzas &oesnt e#en seem to un&erstan& the i&ea of a socialist re#olution( At se#eral )oints he em)loys a fortress analo,y which he attri"utes to the re#olutionary left: e(,( It is first of all necessary to ta+e state )ower! an& then! after the fortress has "een ca)ture&! to raze to the ,roun& of the entire state a))aratus! re)lacin, it "y the secon& )ower /so#iets1((( 8I B (((first of all the e%istin, state )ower is ta+en! an& then another is )ut in its )lace( This #iew can no lon,er "e acce)te&( 85 4hoe#er &i& acce)t this notion? It is a reformist fantasy( The i&ea that a socialist re#olution first )uts itself in char,e of the "our,eois state a))aratus! then a"olishes it is nonsensical( The e%istin, state )ower is a tar,et only for &estruction! not for ta+in,( But! "oes Poulantzas want socialism anyway? It is "y no means clear that Nicos Poulantzas! 7u&,in, "y his own ar,uments! &oesnt want to a#oi& socialism alto,ether( In the Inter#iew! he successi#ely ma+es two )oints: first! an& une%ce)tiona"ly!
I agree with you/ the whole of the resent state and all its a aratuses-social security. health. education. administration. etc-corres ond by their very structure to the ower of the bourgeoisie. I do not believe that the masses can hold ositions of autonomous

ower-even subordinate ones-within the ca italist state. They act as means .of resistance. elements of corrosion. accentuating the internal contradictions of the state.

an& then the remar+a"le statement:

7It is necessary to struggle within the state9 not sim ly in the sense of a struggle enclosed within the hysical confines of the state. but a struggle situated all the same on the strategic terrain of the state. 4 struggle. in other words. whose aim is not to substitute the wor!ers" state for the bourgeois state through a series of reforms designed to ta!e over one bourgeois state a aratus after another. and thus con)uer ower. but a struggle which is. if you li!e. a struggle of resistance. a struggle designed to shar en the internal contradictions of the state. to carry out a dee +seated transformation of the state. ?5

In short! no ta+in, of )owerK In his "oo+! he )ro)oses that the states economic a))aratuses shoul& not "e smashe&:
4t no oint should changes lead to the actual dismantling of the economic a aratus/ such a develo ment would aralyse it and accordingly increase the chances of boycott on the art of the bourgeoisie. ?>

3ow awful! we mi,ht )aralyse the Ae)artment of Tra&e an& In&ustry! or the TreasuryK Poulantzas feels a"le to ar,ue this! &es)ite the fact that on the )re#ious )a,e he has state& that the economic a))aratus /yes! the same one1 remains! in its unity! an essential factor for the re)ro&uction of ca)ital( Note! too! that the "our,eoisie is )resume& still to ha#e the )ower of "oycott( $i,ht not this ris+ ha#e "een re&uce& "y the local wor+ers councils ta+in, control of the factories! "an+s! etc? No! this too is rule& out:
...the democratic road to socialism refers to a long rocess. the first hase of which involves a challenge to the hegemony of mono oly ca ital. but not headlong subversion of the core of the relations of roduction. ??

The rea&er who &ares to as+ the nai#e question! 4hy on earth not? ,ets an answer:
change cannot go beyond certain limits without running the ris! of economic colla se.
?B

Thus! the transition to socialism is to occur from the )resent situation an& without economic colla)se( An& Poulantzas thin+s re#olutionaries are uto)iansK A,ainst Poulantzas! we must "e clear: a transition to socialism! to the com)lete reor,anisation of society "y the wor+in, class! cannot occur without economic colla)se( A socialist re#olution in#ol#es economic colla)se: the )ro"lem is to carry it throu,h! &ecisi#ely! so that economic reco#ery on a new "asis can "e starte& imme&iately( 8: .ut not for Poulantzas:
;ver and above the brea!s involved in the anti+mono oly hase. the 'tate will still have to ensure the wor!ings of the economy+an economy which will remain to a certain degree ca italist for a long time to come. ?3

#essons of $istory Parliamentary &emocracy an& wor+ers councils! I su,,este&! are incom)ati"le institutions( Poulantzas su,,ests they must "e yo+e& to,ether! thou,h he &oesnt

+now how( .ut! he remar+s that 3istory; has )ro#i&e&an& that is not insi,nificant some ne,ati#e e%am)les to a#oi& an& some mista+es u)on which to reflect( 8D 2ets reflect! thenon a classic ne,ati#e e%am)le an& the mista+es in#ol#e& in a com"ination of )arliamentary &emocracy an& wor+ers councils: ')ain in 56-: an& 56->( In <uly 56-: rancos re#olt a,ainst the ')anish re)u"lic "e,an( Initially! the re#olt was &efeate& o#er lar,e )arts of ')ain! lar,ely "y )o)ular forces who &eman&e& /an& often seize&1 arms from the Re)u"lican ,o#ernment( The "ac+,roun& to the ,enerals re#olt ha& "een a &e#elo)ment! all across ')ain! of con#ulsi#e mass stru,,les( The si,nal for these ha& "een )ro#i&e& "y the election! in e"ruary 56-:! of a Po)ular ront ,o#ernment( There ha& "een a wa#e of ,eneral stri+es an& lan& e%)ro)riations! wor+ers an& )easants councils were forme&! etc( After <uly! this mo#ement &e#elo)e& tenfol&( In lar,e )arts of ')ain! es)ecially Catalonia! Ara,on an& Castile! wor+ers an& )easants councils or,anise& )ro&uction an& &istri"ution! ran the towns an& #illa,es! set u) their own militia forces! etc( At the centre of re)u"lican ')ain was an enormously wea+ene& "our,eois )arliamentary ,o#ernment( ')ain! after <uly! re)resente& a classic situation of &ual )ower( The re)u"lics chief source of military ai& a,ainst ranco was 'talin( 3e wante& a &i)lomatic an& military alliance with the rulin, classes of rance an& .ritain a,ainst 3itler! an& was im)laca"ly o))ose& to the &e#elo)ment of socialist re#olution in ')ainout of fear! amon, other thin,s! that this woul& alienate the rench an& .ritish ,o#ernments( In "ac+in, the Re)u"lic! thereforean& at a hi,h )ricehe insiste& that the re#olution "e containe& within "our,eois &emocratic limits( The )erio& u) to mi&056-> was one of )ermanent stru,,le "etween the central re)u"lican ,o#ernment! chiefly arme& an& or,anise& throu,h $oscow! an& the local wor+ers councils! wor+ers militia! etc( The "our,eois &emocratic Re)u"lic was clearly incom)ati"le with the wor+ers an& )easants stru,,les an& or,anisations! an& with the &eman&s they em"o&ie& /socialise& )ro)erty! lan& e%)ro)riation! wor+ers control of )ro&uction! etc1( The outcome of the stru,,le was that first the forces at the "ase of ')anish society were limite& an& containe&! an& then the wor+ers councils were &estroye& in )itche& "attles! )olice actions! etc: in .arcelona in early $ay 56->! in Ara,on a little later on( 4hat the whole tra,e&y &emonstrate& was the clear incom)ati"ility "etween the maintenance of the "our,eois )arliamentary ,o#ernment an& e#en local wor+ers councils! e#en local in&e)en&ent wor+in, class action that went "eyon& the narrow )rescri"e& limits set "y the central ,o#ernment( The +ey to the tra,e&y of ')ain was that those who le& the wor+ers councilsa"o#e all the anarchistso))ose& the centralisation of the wor+ers councils! there"y lea#in, a #oi& at the centre of ')anish life which the counter0re#olutionary li"erals an& Communist Party fille&! or,anise& an& use& a,ainst the wor+in, class( rom that stru,,le the only #ictor was 9eneral ranco( 4here#er the issue has a))eare&! )arliamentary &emocracy has )ro#en incom)ati"le with forms of wor+ers councils( If one form is to "e maintaine&! the other has to "e &estroye&( In rance! in 56-:! to sa#e the Po)ular ront ,o#ernment! the Communist Party calle& off a mass stri+e mo#ement( At the en& of the war! in rance an& Italy! the Communist Parties sa#e& the )arliamentary system "y &isarmin, the Resistance(

In Chile! the maintenance of the Allen&e Po)ular Cnity ,o#ernment was achie#e& throu,h attac+s on the wor+ers mo#ement! "oth &irectly an& throu,h the metho& of "ureaucratisin, an& limitin, it( The results! o#er an& o#er a,ain! are famous &isasters( Poulantzas is not )uttin, forwar& a new strate,y! "ut an ol&! trie& an& teste&! fully ,uarantee& formulafor wor+in,0class &efeat( It is the 7o" of $ar%ists to insist that a mass wor+ers mo#ement that &oes not com)lete the )rocess of socialist re#olution "y centralisin, its own )ower in new institutions! an& "y smashin, all o"stacles to that centralisation of its )ower in wor+ers councils! )re)ares its own &ownfall( It is #ital that the i&eas of those li+e Poulantzas! who )ro)ose limitations on wor+ers )ower! "e com"atte& as stron,ly as )ossi"le( It may not! howe#er! "e Poulantzas himself we ha#e to com"at( 3e0en&s his "oo+ with a ,loomy re#erie on the ris+s of the &emocratic roa&:
...at worst. we could be heading for cam s and massacres as a ointed victim. 8ut to that I re ly/ if we weigh u the ris!s. that is in any case referable to massacring other eo le only to end u ourselves beneath the blade of a :ommittee of Cublic 'afety or some Aictator of the Croletariat0 There is only one sure way of avoiding the ris!s of democratic socialism. and that is to !ee )uiet and march ahead under the tutelage and the rod of advanced liberal democracy. 8ut that is another story.

The am"i,uity is characteristic( Is this to "e the to)ic of Poulantzass ne%t offerin,! we won&er? It woul& not "e ina))ro)riate: for he has shown! &ecisi#ely! that he is alrea&y un&er the theoretical tutela,e of li"eral &emocracywhether we call it a&#ance& or not( %otes 5( J( $ar% The Constitution of the rench Re)u"lic A&o)te& No#em"er 8 5D8D Notes to the Peo)le! 2on&on! no >! /<une 5D=51B cite& in 3al Ara)er! Jarl $ar%s Theory of Re#olution! Lol I /56>>1! $onthly Re#iew Press! )(-5:( A#aila"le online *( Ral)h $ili"an&! The 'tate in Ca)italist 'ociety! 4ei&enfel& M Nicolson! /56:61! /now in Nuartet )a)er"ac+1B Nicos Poulantzas! Political Power an& 'ocial Classes! N2.! /56>-1B ascism an& Aictatorshi)! /56>81B Classes in Contem)orary Ca)italism! /56>=1B Crisis of the Aictatorshi)s! /56>:1( $ili"an& an& Poulantzas &e"ate& in #arious issues of the New 2eft Re#iew -( <ohn 2ea! The 'tate of 'ociety International 'ocialism! ol& series no 85! Aec0<an 56:6B 'imon Clar+e! $ar%ism! 'ociolo,y an& Poulantzass Theory of the 'tate! Ca)ital an& Class! *! summer 56>>( 8( Isaac .al"us! $o&em ca)italism an& the state! $onthly Re#iew! $ay 56>5( =( <ohn 2ea! o)(cit( :( or instance! 'imon Clar+e! Althussers $ar%ism /scan&alously still un)u"lishe& mimeo! "ut a#aila"le from him at Ae)t( of 'ociolo,y! Cni#ersity of 4arwic+B E(P( Thom)son! The Po#erty of Theory an& other essays! $erlin! 56>D( >( 2ucio Coletti! rom Rousseau to 2enin! N2.! /56>*1(

D( 'ee Colin .ar+er! $uscular Reformism /re#iew of $ar%ism an& Politics1 International 'ocialism! ol& series 5I*! /Fcto"er 56>>1( 6( Nicos Poulantzas! 'tate! Power! 'ocialism /hereafter 'P'1! New 2eft .oo+s! /56>D1! O>(=I( Poulantzas also ,a#e a #ery interestin, inter#iew to 3enri 4e"er of the rench section of the ourth InternationalB this first a))eare& in Critique Communiste 5:! /<une 56>>1! then a))eare& in translation in International an& was re)rinte& in the C' 7ournal 'ocialist Re#iew no -D /$arch0A)ril 56>D1! the source from which I quote /hereafter Inter#iew1( 5I( 'P' )(*=:( 55( i"i&( 5*( i"i&! )(*=>( 5-( Inter#iew! )(*I( 58( 4ell! almost( There is the followin, small interchan,e "etween Poulantzas an& 4e"er! in which neither is #ery illuminatin,: Poulantzas: Ao you "elie#e in )luralism? 4e"er: Ff course( 4e "elie#e in it an& we )ractice it( Poulantzas: .ut for your o))onents as well? 4e"er: Certainly( E#en for the "our,eois )arties! its there in writin,( Poulantzas: Aha( E#en for the "our,eois )arties( Now! not to "e too nai#e! there are thin,s one has to say! "ecause we fear for oursel#es as well 4e"er: Ff course( Poulantzas: Its all #ery well to say so! "ut I want to +now what forms of institutional ,uarantee there woul& "ethey are always secon&ary! of course! "ut they matter; /Inter#iew! )(*-1( 4e lea#e to some other occasion &iscussion of the Is written ,uarantees to "our,eois )artiesK 5=( 'P'! )(*:80=( 5:( i"i&! )(*:I( 5>( i"i&! )(*=:( Note that Poulantzas! ea,er to claim the restless s)irit of Jarl $ar% for his i&eas! is #ery ca#alier with the ol& re#olutionary! as he is with En,els! who actually su,,este& that if )eo)le wante& to un&erstan& the &ictatorshi) of the )roletariat they shoul& loo+ at the Paris Commune( It seems that if there was a si,n)ost in $ar% an& En,els! it &i& not e%actly )oint in Poulantzass &irection! "ut &irectly a,ainst him( 5D( 'P'! )(5*8( 56( i"i&! )(5*=( *I( e(,( Norman 9eras! The 2e,acy of Rosa 2u%em"ur,! N2.! 56>:! )(5D>( Fthers of her criticisms of the .olshe#i+s in her )am)hlets were! in any case! quite mis)lace&: cf( Tony Cliff! Rosa 2u%em"ur,! I'! 56:6! ch(>( A#aila"le online *5( cf( Tony Cliff! o)(cit(! )(>I(

**( Norman 9eras! o)(cit(! )(I88( *-( i"i&(! )(5*:( *8( I &raw here on Tony Cliff! 2enin! Lol -! Pluto! /56>D1( *=( 'P'! )(*=-B Inter#iew! )(*5( *:( In the Inter#iew! 3enri 4e"er offers this ar,ument! "ut lets Poulantzas ,et away with mur&er in re)ly( Poulantzas refuses to acce)t the historical e%)lanation of the inwar& &efeat of the Russian Re#olution! citin, as a&&itional e%am)les of lac+ of &emocracy the re#olutions in China! Cu"a! Cam"o&ia( 4e"er &oes not mentionhow coul& he?that the wor+in, class )laye& no in&e)en&ent role in these re#olutions! that they ne#er were any +in& of socialist re#olution( 3as the I come to this )ass! that it cannot &efen& the so#iet i&ea a,ainst reformism? *>( Inter#iew! )(**( *D( Poulantzas &efen&s the secret "allot! as sur)risin,ly &oes 3enri 4e"er /Inter#iew! )(*=1( *6( e(,( 'P'! )(lI8! on the in&i#i&ualisation of the "o&y0)olitic0as an ensem"le of i&entical mona&s se)arate& from the 'tate( -I( cf( e(,( ranz Neumann! The chan,e in the function of law in mo&em society! The Aemocratic an& the Authoritarian 'tate! ree Press! /56=>1B Poulantzas himself also notes this! e(,( 'P'! )(l>*( -5( Inter#iew! )(*I( -*( 'P'! )(*:*! em)hasis in ori,inal( --( Poulantzass ar,ument in#ol#es o#erthrowin, $ar%s o)inion! from the Paris Commune onwar&s! that the wor+in, class cannot sim)ly lay hol& of the rea&y0ma&e machinery of the state an& wiel& it for its own )ur)oses( 3e treats re)resentati#e &emocracy as if it were a class0neutral form of eternal rele#ance( Pet he also contra&icts himself: e(,( ((()olitical &omination is itself inscri"e& in the institutional materiality of the 'tate; state )ower /that of the "our,eoisie in the ca)italist state1 is written into this materiality /'P'! )(581B he notes that the ca)italist state em"o&ies the se)aration of manual an& intellectual la"our! "ut fu&,es the issue in relation to ParliamentIt is equally clear that a num"er of institutions of so0calle& in&irect &emocracy /)olitical )arties! )arliament! etc1 in which the relationshi) "etween 'tate an& masses is e%)resse&! themsel#es &e)en& on the same mechanism /'P' )(=:1 lea#in, o)en the )ossi"ility that some institutions are somehow &ifferent! "ut without s)ecifyin, which! or how( -8( Inter#iew! )(-5( -=( e(,( his cha)ter on The 4ea+enin, of the 'tate! 'P'! )(*85ff( -:( i"i&! ))(*I:0> ->( Inter#iew! )(*I

-D( 'P'! )(*==( Cf also i"i&! )(*:5 -6( i"i&! )(*:8 8I( i"i&! )(*== 85( i"i&! )(*:I 8*( Inter#iew! )(5-08 8-( 'P'! )(56D 88( i"i&! )(56> 8=( i"i&! )(56> 8:( Inter alia! cf( Nicolai .u+harin! The Economics of the Transformation Perio&! .er,man! /56>51( 8>( 'P'! )(56> 8D( i"i&! )(*:=