● Free state? The workers do not aim to set the state free; rather, forms of state are free
insofar as they restrict the ‘freedom of the state’
● The Gotha Programme, rather than treating existing society as the basis of the existing
state, mistakenly treats the state as an independent entity possessing its own intellectual, ethical
and libertarian bases
● Present day society is capitalist society; broadly universal. There is no universal ‘present
day state’; rather there are different states that begin from the same base - present day society;
bourgeois society
● Between capitalist society and communist society there exists a transition from one to the
other. Corresponding to this is a political transition period ‘in which the state can be nothing but
the dictatorship of the proletariat’
● Instead of being a programme for this transition, the Gotha programme talks in terms of
rights, universal suffrage, direct legislation, a people’s militia. These have already been achieved
in other present day states - namely, USA and Switzerland.
○ GP demands a democratic republic, but not explicitly. Having ducked
this, it shouldn’t simply make demands that would require a democratic republic and
assure the people that such demands could be forced through by legal means despite the
military despotism
Further discussion of way in which distribution is a derivative of the relations of production, and the
transition from income tax, which presupposes capitalism, to ‘from each according to his ability, to each
according to need’ under communism.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller patrickfleming. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.57. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.