withering away of the state

noun

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

OriginGerman der Staat wird nicht „abgeschafft“, er stirbt ab →
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Meanings

nounwithering away of the state (uncountable)
  1. MarxismuncountablecommunismThe proposed situation where, in a classless society, people govern themselves as a commune without needing a government or law enforcement.

Origin

  1. Germander Staat wird nicht „abgeschafft“, er stirbt ab“the state is not "abolished", it atrophies”
  2. Englishwithering away of the state

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”)

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Greek απονέκρωση του κράτους
  • απονέκρωση του κράτους (aponékrosi tou krátous)withering away of the state
Cite this entry
APA

withering away of the state. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/withering%20away%20of%20the%20state

MLA

“withering away of the state.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/withering%20away%20of%20the%20state. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “withering away of the state,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/withering%20away%20of%20the%20state.

Source: withering away of the state on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.