The first act by virtue of which the State really constitutes itself the representative of the whole of societythe taking possession of the means of production in the name of societythis is, at the same time, its last independent act as a State. State interference in social relations becomes, in one domain after another, superfluous, and then dies out of itself; the government of persons is replaced by the administration of things, and by the conduct of processes of production. The State is not abolished. It dies out.

Summary

This quote by Karl Marx implies that the state initially establishes itself as the representative of society through its control over the means of production in the name of society. However, over time, state intervention becomes unnecessary as production processes become more efficiently managed on their own. Consequently, instead of governing individuals, the state's role transitions to the administration of resources and the management of production. Marx suggests that ultimately, the state does not need to be abolished; it naturally ceases to exist as society evolves.