The proletariat uses the State not in the interests of freedom but in order to hold down its adversaries, and as soon as it becomes possible to speak of freedom the State as such ceases to exist.

Friedrich Engels’ quote, “The proletariat uses the State not in the interests of freedom but in order to hold down its adversaries, and as soon as it becomes possible to speak of freedom the State as such ceases to exist,” reflects a key idea in Marxist theory about the role of the State in class struggles. Engels argues that under capitalist systems, the State is primarily a tool used by the ruling class to maintain control and suppress the working class, or proletariat. In this context, the State is not an institution that promotes true freedom for all, but one that enforces the status quo by restraining the lower classes and protecting the interests of the elite.

Engels also suggests that true freedom cannot coexist with the existence of the State in its current form. He theorizes that once the proletariat successfully overthrows the existing social and political structures, the need for a coercive State will dissolve, and society will no longer require such an institution to regulate power. Instead, a truly free society would operate through collective ownership and democracy, where power is decentralized and the concept of a State as an apparatus of oppression no longer holds.

The origin of this quote is rooted in Engels’ Marxist views on the State and revolution. As a close collaborator of Karl Marx, Engels helped develop the theory that the State is an instrument of class oppression. This perspective is central to Marxist theory, which posits that a proletarian revolution is necessary to dismantle the capitalist system and establish a classless society. Engels’ quote speaks to his belief that freedom is only possible once the mechanisms of control—such as the State—are dismantled.

Ultimately, Engels’ words emphasize the revolutionary potential of the proletariat and the necessity of restructuring society to achieve freedom. In his view, the existence of the State as an oppressive entity prevents true liberation. The end of the State would signify the arrival of a society where the working class has achieved its rightful power, and freedom is accessible to all.