The transformation of ideas about the essence of the state in the Marxist teachings of the twentieth century

This study analyzes the transformation of Marxist ideas about the nature of the state in the 20th century within the context of socialist construction practices. The aim is to identify the main directions of the evolution of state theory from classical Marxism to concepts developed in the USSR, China, and other socialist countries. The methodological basis is dialectical materialism, as well as historical-genetic and comparative-historical methods. The research traces the evolution from the idea of the withering away of the state to concepts of its strengthening, revealing the reasons for the divergence between theory and practice of socialist construction. Key stages in the transformation of Marxist state theory are examined: ideas of the alliance between the proletariat and peasantry, formation of the concept of alliance of several revolutionary classes, the concept of the all-people's state, as well as peculiarities of theoretical development in other socialist countries.