Why is the is the state harmful in itself?

You have an instrumentalist view of the state... that it is or can be a tool wielded by the dominant class. It seems in your view, it is otherwise a neutral tool in itself. I think that is fundamentally wrong and I'll explain why. If you feel that I misrepresent or misunderstand you, do please provide an explanation in response.

Here is my explanation: The state is a set of institutions that is based on the division of society into classes. Classes, always implying an exploitative relationship, is the reason for the existence of the state and the state itself derives it's power from the exploitation of the exploited. In modern society, it is the exploitation of the working class that gives the state power.

The sole purpose of the state is to manage class society as a whole and preserve the basis of it's own existence. It actually doesn't just govern in the interest of the ruling class. And I will argue that it doesn't matter if that ruling class exercises control of the state, or influences it by means of providing money to politicians. What I mean, you can have the most democratic and fairest elections of candidates to hold office, they will still govern in the same manner. They themselves essentially become members of the ruling class governing in the general interests of class society as a whole.

Long story short, the state cannot be used to establish a socialist society because the state is a specific social relation. Socialism requires the contracting of a new social relation among people behaving differently toward one another and with different values. A so called "revolutionary" party aiming to capture state power to govern on behalf of the exploited and oppressed is far removed from how anarchists see a genuine movement for socialism to be put into practice. It is just putting new bosses and state managers over the working class. It implies that they don't really understand the state and society overall and what must be done. Anyway, that is all for now.

/r/DebateAnarchism Thread