Adversaries Quote by Friedrich Engels
“The anarchists put the thing upside down. They declare that the proletarian revolution must begin by doing away with the political organization of the state. But to destroy it at such a moment would be to destroy the only organism by means of which the victorious proletariat can assert its newly-conquered power, hold down its capitalist adversaries, and carry out that economic revolution of society without which the whole victory must end in a new defeat and a mass slaughter of the workers similar to those after the Paris commune.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Condition of the Working Class in England, 1845
Revolution must first dismantle state structures, but destroying them too early risks losing the means to protect the new order, leading to defeat and massacre.
In simple terms: Premature state destruction can cause failure.
Key Takeaway
Balance timing of institutional change.
Themes
politics
revolution
strategy
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
theoretical
historical
When to use this quote
- political uprisings
- post‑revolution governance
- labor movements
- policy reforms
Key Concepts
Marxist theory
state power
class struggle
Questions to Reflect On
- When is the right moment to replace old institutions?
- What safeguards prevent chaos after revolution?
A Different Perspective
Too swift dismantling may create a power vacuum.
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