Liberal and Marxist
UNIT 4
Structure 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9
LIBERAL AND MARXIST PERSPECTIVE
Learning Outcome Introduction Thinking about the State The Liberal Perspective of the State The Marxist Perspective New Trends in Marxist and Liberal Thought Conclusion Key Concepts References and Further Reading Activity
4.0
• • •
LEARNING OUTCOME
Throw light on the Liberal perspective of the State Analyse the views of Marxist scholars on the State, and Discuss the new trends in the Liberal and Marxist analyses of the State
After reading this Unit, you will be able to:
4.1
INTRODUCTION
In this Unit, we propose to analyse two major perspectives of political philosophy regarding the origin, nature, role, purpose and functions of the State. These are the Liberal and Marxist perspectives, which seek to describe the State as an institution / apparatus grounded firmly in two major ideologies with the same name that is, Liberalism and Marxism. The discussion on these ideologies reflects on certain basic questions pertaining to the relationship between the human beings and the State; what is/what ought to be the nature of this relationship, what is/ought to be the relationship between State and society or civil society, what are the functions of State, how are they to be performed and most importantly, why do human beings need the State. The State is a highly differentiated, specialised and complex institutional phenomenon. We have already dealt with the nature, purpose and evolution of the State in the first Unit of this Course, this Unit would delve more into the different viewpoints on the State. In modern western political thought, the State is usually identified with an impersonal and privileged legal or Constitutional order with the capability of administrating and controlling a given territory. The earliest expression of this conception could be traced to Rome in the ancient world, but it did not become a major object of concern/analysis until the
Structure 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9
LIBERAL AND MARXIST PERSPECTIVE
Learning Outcome Introduction Thinking about the State The Liberal Perspective of the State The Marxist Perspective New Trends in Marxist and Liberal Thought Conclusion Key Concepts References and Further Reading Activity
4.0
• • •
LEARNING OUTCOME
Throw light on the Liberal perspective of the State Analyse the views of Marxist scholars on the State, and Discuss the new trends in the Liberal and Marxist analyses of the State
After reading this Unit, you will be able to:
4.1
INTRODUCTION
In this Unit, we propose to analyse two major perspectives of political philosophy regarding the origin, nature, role, purpose and functions of the State. These are the Liberal and Marxist perspectives, which seek to describe the State as an institution / apparatus grounded firmly in two major ideologies with the same name that is, Liberalism and Marxism. The discussion on these ideologies reflects on certain basic questions pertaining to the relationship between the human beings and the State; what is/what ought to be the nature of this relationship, what is/ought to be the relationship between State and society or civil society, what are the functions of State, how are they to be performed and most importantly, why do human beings need the State. The State is a highly differentiated, specialised and complex institutional phenomenon. We have already dealt with the nature, purpose and evolution of the State in the first Unit of this Course, this Unit would delve more into the different viewpoints on the State. In modern western political thought, the State is usually identified with an impersonal and privileged legal or Constitutional order with the capability of administrating and controlling a given territory. The earliest expression of this conception could be traced to Rome in the ancient world, but it did not become a major object of concern/analysis until the