The Political Ideologies Of Bakunin s Bolshevism And...

The political ideologies of Bakunin’s Anarchism, Lenin’s Bolshevism and Hayek’s Neoliberalism all offer a critique of the state. Upon comparing and contrasting these ideologies a surprising similarity, as well as several differences reveal themselves. The lone similarity of the political philosophies of Bakunin, Lenin and Hayek is that the capitalist state is the protector and enforcer of property rights. Agreement between the three ends there as they all diverge on the issue of whether the state taking an active role in enforcing society’s property relations is justifiable or oppressive. Furthermore, they all offer contrasting definitions of the state and its’ functions. Another difference is what alterations should be made to the state for a better society and how changes can be enforced. Bakunin advocates for no state; Lenin advises eliminating the capitalist state and temporarily replacing it with a socialist state to usher in communism before h aving no state; Hayek promotes the idea that the state is a necessary evil that is always gradually evolving and attempting to better suit society. Hindsight into the shortcomings associated with Bakunin’s and Lenin’s ideologies, and the logic he applies in discussing the state as a necessary component of any functioning society make Hayek’s Neoliberalism the most practical political ideology. Bakunin, Lenin and Hayek all agree that the state offers a protective shield over capitalism to allow the economy to perpetuate itself.