Class, power and the state in capitalist society

de Clyde W. Barrow, Peter Burnham, Paul Wetherly

Ralph Miliband was a leading contributor to the development of Marxist political theory in the late twentieth century, particularly on the state, democracy, class analysis and socialist politics. His writings remain highly influential in twenty-first century social and political theory. Class, Power and the State in Capitalist Society brings together, for the first time, a collection of essays to re-examine and evaluate the central themes in Miliband's work. The editors' introduction traces the development of Miliband's thought and identifies key themes and debates. The essays that follow deal with the New Left, Labourism, the potential for a new socialist organization, the ₁instrumentalist₂ theory of the state, the debate with Poulantzas, the 'withering away' of the state, American exceptionalism, and policy making. The book finishes with a critical reflection on the issues raised in the collection.