On Proletarian Dictatorship

The dictatorship of the proletariat is one of the more controversial topics within Socialist and Communist politics. The word ‘dictatorship’ strikes fear in the hearts of many, and can stoke the flame of a million skeptics in a single blow. One mention of the dictatorship of the proletariat almost always leads to a hyperfocus on the first word of this beautiful and controversial term — no attention is given to the rest, no understanding is even attempted in regards to “of the proletariat.”

Some would say that it’d be easier to not call it the dictatorship of the proletariat, instead to call it a more “friendly” and “acceptable” term, but make no mistake, that is revisionism, and there are few things worse than revising the teachings of the great Marxists. Others would say that a dictatorship is too strict, too much on the bourgeoisie; that there needs to be more cooperation and less subordination, but make no mistake, that is opportunism of the highest degree, and opportunism has no place in a great revolutionary movement.

Marx, from the very first mention of the dictatorship of the proletariat, repeatedly clarified what exactly this meant, repeatedly fought against the opportunism that he knew such a controversially worded term would produce, yet the opportunist continues the struggle to deface Marx and the revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat. Our struggle continues to fight against this, to guide people onto the path of proletarian dictatorship, to clear up all confusion and purposeful slandering of the proletariat’s dictatorship. To fight revisionism and opportunism effectively, one must first understand where the dictatorship of the proletariat originated.

The Origins of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat

The first mention of proletarian dictatorship by Marx traces all the way back to 1850, to the early stages of Marx and Engels work. It is not something that made an appearance later in their teaching, but a concept that has always been at the very core of Marxism. The quote above from Marx’s The Class Struggles in France, 1848-1850, is the earliest mention by Marx of proletarian dictatorship, and what is even more outstanding than its age in relation to Marxism is how fleshed out this necessary concept already is: “…the class dictatorship of the proletariat as the necessary transit point to the abolition of class distinctions generally…”, from the first mention of it, Marx makes it very clear that proletarian dictatorship is necessary in abolishing all class distinctions and antagonisms entirely from society, i.e., in realizing Communism.

There is no revolution without a revolutionary change in who controls the state; from the minority using the state apparatuses to oppress the majority to the majority building a new state apparatus as the mechanism of suppressing the minority. This, in essence, is the dictatorship of the proletariat — a dictatorship that puts the power into the hands of the majority for the first time in all the history of class society.

Blanqui was a revolutionary that was imprisoned for over thirty years. His ideology was heavily focused on the revolution itself, and not so much as to what society would look like after the revolution. Blanquists believe that a very small group should lead the revolution and establish a temporary dictatorship in order to redistribute wealth in a just manner. He differs from Marx in that he didn’t so much as believe in the class struggle and the necessity of proletarian dictatorship.

Proletarian vs Bourgeois Dictatorship

In order to aspire a bend in society toward proletarian dictatorship, we must first educate the masses, make them understand that we already live under a dictatorship, a dictatorial society where the very rich hold immense political power, on top of their inhumane amounts of wealth, and have control over every aspect of political and economic life. The control over the majority by a tiny minority is the essence of capitalism, is bourgeois dictatorship, is the form of control and oppression that we’ve lived under and been subjected to for so long that the less class conscious sections of society, which is the majority at the present time, can’t even begin to realize this. Study history for a miniscule amount of time and it will quickly become apparent that there is no revolution until the majority realizes that it’s been subjected to oppression, that it’s living under a capitalist, bourgeois dictatorship.

The first step in doing this is to make it very clear every injustice perpetuated by the bourgeois dictatorship of which there are countless and that innumerable amount rises daily. Let no travesty wither away in silence, let no misstep go unchecked, let no politician consider themself invincible. We must take on the role of the microscope in examining the current government and that of the megaphone in relaying their constant mistakes and wrongdoings to the people.

A working class government, a government in which no official, no parliamentarian, no representative, officer, leader, etc. makes more than the average wage of the worker is a government that is truly by and for the people. This is a government in which the natural remuneration weeds out those who seek those positions for their wealth, a government which brings to the forefront leaders who are dedicated in their service to the people of which they are class companions of, of which they know their struggles and are better fit to deal with them than any politician born of good standing, which is the vast majority. A government of this kind is the essence of proletarian dictatorship, and very clearly shows the major differences between it and the dictatorship of the bourgeois class.

What we need is a government that is created by the proletariat, for the proletariat, and constituted of the proletariat. This government has the interests of the majority rather than the current governments whom exist simply to serve corporations and the wealthy. A government made up of the people it governs is true representation. A government made up of wealthy octogenarians and senile senior citizens is not efficient, not representative, and not serving the people.

A government of and for the people, that is proletarian dictatorship; a government not of the people, but for profiting off of the suffering of the people, that is bourgeois dictatorship, that is capitalist government, that is Western government.

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