Session 4: Capitalist State Is In Power

Marxist’s first theory of capitalist state has dominated most of the societies of the world. It is described as the entity which only manages the common affairs of the bourgeoisie (elite class). It also  dominates the elected government. They do so by pulling strings of the elected politicians. The state makes bourgeoisie stronger and stronger.

It can be clearly seen in the United States of America. The financial crisis of 2008 affected every citizen and even posed threat on the future generations of the United States. It happened because the government officials who were supposed to think for the people instead helped the corporate sector heads. They helped them in making billions of dollars. How the bourgeoisie i.e. Lehman Brothers, Golden Sachs made their own people the minister of treasury and other important government officials related to finance. Consequently, people not only lost their homes but also became unable to feed their children. America suffered form such a tragedy from which it has still not recovered. Facing such harsh troubles because of capitalism didn't make America realize of its mistakes as when Barrack Obama took oval office in 2009, He reappointed many of the major players who caused such destruction that created the devastating failure giving their people soaring unemployment, massive home foreclosures, failure or near-failure of most of the major financial institutions, and a stock market that for the second time in a decade robbed the savings, investments, and pension plans of America’s middle class. On the other extreme, their elite became richer making billions of dollars of assets and remaining unaffected from the crises. Woody Guthrie wrote a song many years ago which clearly characterized the capitalist theory of the state.

“Yes, as through this world I've wandered

I've seen lots of funny men;

Some will rob you with a six-gun,

And some with a fountain pen.”

The American society is still following it without realizing what it is doing to them.  A state should take care of its people. It should be neutral and it should not be biased. It should be like what is proposed by liberal theory that state should act in the interests of its citizens and always give priority to public interests.