Question 4 Bakunin takes issue with some of Marx’s key ideas. What are the points of similarity and points of difference between Bakunin and Marx? Flashcards
Bakunin and Marx shared
Bakunin and Marx shared the ultimate vision of a free egalitarian society without class divisions and oppression. Both critically analyzed capitalism as a system of exploitation and alienation.
However, they fundamentally differed on the means to achieve this goal, leading to significant points of divergence:
Role of State
This was a central point of contention
Marx believed in a transitional socialist state, often referred to as the “dictatorship of the proletariat,” as a necessary phase to dismantle capitalism and pave the way for communism
Bakunin vehemently rejected any form of state, arguing that any state, even one controlled by the workers, would inevitably become oppressive and lead to new forms of domination. He advocated for the immediate abolition of the state. Bakunin famously called Marx an “Authoritarian socialist” while identifying as an “anarchist socialist” to highlight this fundamental difference.
Agent of Revolution
Marx saw the industrial proletariat, led by the intelligentsia, as the primary revolutionary force capable of overthrowing capitalism.
Bakunin, on the other hand, believed that the lumpenproletariat (the most marginalized and dispossessed in society) were the most “unpolluted” by capitalist values and thus the key to a true and radical revolution.
Path to Communism
Marx envisioned a two-stage process: a revolution leading to socialism (characterized by state control of the means of production), which would eventually wither away into communism (a stateless, classless society).
Bakunin argued for a more direct transition from capitalism to communism, without the need for a powerful, centralized socialist state. He feared that those who gained power in a socialist state would be reluctant to relinquish it, potentially leading to a new form of dictatorship.
Decentralization vs Centralization
Marx’s vision of socialism involved a degree of centralized control, at least during the transitional phase.
Bakunin advocated for a decentralized, collectivist anarchist society where workers would directly manage the means of production through voluntary associations and local organization.
