In Marx's historical materialism, following the abolition of class distinctions and the attainment of a requisite level of productive capacity, within a society imbued with "Communist Consciousness," the State is envisioned to dissolve into autonomous Communes characterized by free association. This transitional phase of societal arrangement is termed "Communism." Marx elucidates this future society through his dictum: "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." This principle entails individuals laboring to their fullest potential, driven by a profound "Communist Consciousness" where labor becomes the foremost desire of life. Production is anticipated to be ample, ensuring the fulfillment of all needs. This model abolishes class divisions and monetary relations, with the means of production collectively owned, fostering a classless society devoid of labor commodity exchange. As a result, both money and the exchange of labor as commodities are absent within this framework.
In the Marxist framework, the State is depicted as a transitory entity that would eventually dissolve. According to Marx and Engels, the State functions as a tool through which the dominant class upholds the socioeconomic structures essential for their supremacy. They view the State as a repressive apparatus in the realm of class struggle, serving to perpetuate a specific socioeconomic order advantageous to the ruling class. Marx and Engels posit that with the abolition of private property, the demise of class distinctions would follow suit. In this context, the State, being a product of class conflicts, would gradually diminish, or as Marx articulated, "wither away." In a Communist society envisioned by Marx, classlessness prevails due to the complete communal ownership of the means of production. The absence of money is anticipated, as technological advancements would facilitate a system where individuals contribute to the best of their abilities and access according to their needs. This society would operate without a State, for the State's existence, as understood by Marx and Engels, is contingent upon class struggles. In the absence of class conflict, the State's raison d'être ceases, paving the way for its obsolescence in a Communist paradigm. Instead of the State apparatus, self-governing urban-industrial Communes would emerge, engaging in Communist modes of distribution and voluntary interactions to foster societal cohesion.
My primary departure from Marxist theory lies in the conception of the State and the simplification of history to a series of socioeconomic interactions. Contrary to the Marxist view that the State primarily serves as a tool to uphold a socioeconomic structure, I contend that the State emerges from the existence of a self-sustaining Social-Group. This Social-Group is not externally imposed but evolves naturally, akin to the troop in Chimpanzees, Baboons, various primates, the Pride in Lions, or the Pack in Wolves and Hyenas. In human societies, the fundamental social unit is the Tribe. The entity we label as the State essentially represents the political framework of a given Social-Group. Every Social-Group possesses internal mechanisms for organization, which, in political terms, manifest as the state apparatus. The complexity of state organization correlates with the intricacy of social relations within the group. For instance, the tribal structure of Hunter-Gatherer societies is notably less intricate than the structure of Modern States, which may be centered around an ethnic group, a cluster of closely linked tribes, or a civilization. While socioeconomic systems play a crucial role in historical narratives, reducing all of history solely to socioeconomic relations is a simplification that lacks depth. History is predominantly shaped by the interplay of Social-Groups vying for land and resources. Consequently, the State emerges as a product of Social-Groups, and history unfolds through the confrontations between States, epitomizing these communities, as they compete for territorial control and resources.
Through the annals of history, diverse socioeconomic circumstances have birthed a myriad of States, ranging from benevolent to oppressive. When the State is appropriated, as is often the case in a class-stratified society, by a particular class, it ceases to operate as the emanation of the organic collective that engendered it. Instead, it metamorphoses into a tool for economic exploitation and social subjugation wielded by the dominant class. This deleterious State apparatus must be dismantled, given that it is manipulated by individuals whose interests diverge from the welfare and cohesion of the Social-Group, prioritizing personal power and profit, often to the detriment of the community. The most effective method to prevent the State's exploitation by a singular class is to eradicate the root cause of class divisions, namely private property. Herein lies the essence of Marx's Socialist ideology, not solely as a vehicle for attaining Communism — a society characterized by freely associating Communes — but rather as a mechanism to restore the State to its inherent purpose: as the embodiment of an organic collective, the Social-Group. In such a societal framework, individuals transcend their own interests to serve the collective through dedication to the people's State.