Laski’s Class Analysis of Capitalist Democracy

A class analysis of capitalist society is one of the key characteristics of Marxism. This chapter discusses the ways in which Laski's thought of the 1930s and 1940s includes such analysis. One section discusses the distinctiveness of his analysis of the liberal theory of the state. Tension is detectable between his sympathy with some of the liberal goals on the one hand and his criticism of that theory on the other hand. This is followed by consideration of his work on the class-based limitations on democracy which render capitalist democracy unstable. His view of the roles of the state, complemented by the notion of sovereignty which disguises and legitimates class dominance in capitalist democracy, is analysed. This leads to a discussion of Marxist theories of law, and Laski's criticism of them. Throughout the chapter, the continuing influence of his pluralist theories, which made his Marxist or neo-Marxist work distinctive, is in evidence.