dictatorship of the proletariat

In Marxist theory, the dictatorship of the proletariat is a state of affairs in which the proletariat, or the working class, holds political power. The term, as used by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, refers to a transitional state between capitalism and communism. During this phase, the proletariat acts as the ruling class to suppress the resistance of the bourgeoisie, destroy the social relations of production underlying the class system, and create a classless society. The concept's meaning and implications have been a source of major controversy and divergence within the Marxist movement.