Building upon the works of Engels, structural Marxists posit that the state is a mechanism for regulating class conflict, the irreconcilable tension between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.
[8][9] By regulating these antagonisms —rather than eliminating them which is thought impossible without violent revolution[8]—the state serves to stabilize the capitalist system as a whole and preserve its existence.
Short-term interests of the bourgeoisie include policies that affect capital accumulation in the immediate future such as tax breaks, reduced minimum wages, government subsidies, etc.
Accordingly, when the state seems to act on behalf of the proletariat rather than the bourgeoisie (raising minimum wage, increasing labor rights, etc.)
In other words, the class character of the state can only be shown after policies are put in place and the outcome is observed.