English Explanatory Dictionary

withering away of the state

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The proposed situation where, in a classless society, people govern themselves as a commune without needing a government or law enforcement.

Word forms

withering away of the state

Etymology

Coined by Friedrich Engels in 1878 for his work, "Anti-Dühring", from Calque of German der Staat wird nicht „abgeschafft“, er stirbt ab (“the state is not "abolished", it atrophies”)

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