State

The State — neither liberal neutral arbiter nor simple bourgeois instrument: the form of political unity a people takes, which revolutions capture, deepen, and transform rather than abolish by decree.

From the streams

• Against vulgar withering-away (Huge updates stream): "There was a specific interpretation of Marxism — I hate this interpretation — that in the withering away of the state, centralization of authority will disappear and everyone will just willy-nilly do whatever they want. Mao said: I don't actually think the state will ever wither away. We're always going to need these courts..." Governance and statecraft are permanent responsibilities.
• Withering as dynastic deepening (FBI AFTER ME! stream): revolutions that "deepen and enrich the forms and qualitative determinations that emerge out of the revolution rather than liquidate them."
• Institutions hit limits: "civilizations, policies and states reach definite limits, and beyond those limits superstructurally try to conquer those limits, and in vain, and fail" (Marxism-Leninism in the Age of Multi-Polarity).

The American application

Country ≠ regime: "I believe there's more to this country than the rotten ruling class and state that has committed so many crimes on its behalf... I'm not giving up on the American people" (Twitter Space). Patriotism targets the regime, not the nation (Class, New Deal).

See also

• Revolutionary Dynasty