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Democratic Centralism
posted to www.marxmail.orgon October 30, 2003
The best discussion of democratic centralism I!e e!er seen is in
chapter se!en of "aul
#e$lancs %#enin and the &e!olutionar' "art'%. (e explains
that the term predates #enin b'man' 'ears and was first used in )*+
b' -.$. chweit/er, a #assallean.
urthermore, in &ussia it was first used b' the 1enshe!is at
a o!ember )40 conference.
In a resolution %On the Organi/ation of the "art'% adopted
there, the' agree that %The &D#"
must be organi/ed according to the principle of democratic
centralism.% 5 month later the
$olshe!is embraced the term at their own conference. 5
resolution titled %On "art'
Organi/ation% states6 %&ecogni/ing as indisputable the
principle of democratic centralism, the
Conference considers the broad implementation of the electi!e
principle necessar'7 and,
while granting elected centers full powers in matters of
ideological and practical leadership,
the' are at the same time sub8ect to recall, their actions are
gi!en broad publicit', and the' are
to be strictl' accountable for these acti!ities.%
There is !irtuall' no difference between the 1enshe!is and the
$olshe!is about the need
for democratic centralism or its meaning. o claims that the two
factions differed o!er this
%#eninist% organi/ational breathrough are simpl' mistaen.
1oreo!er, the two groups had
resol!ed man' outstanding differences following the )40
re!olution. 1enshe!i
leader "a!el 5xelrod stated that %on the whole, the 1enshe!i
tactics ha!e hardl' differed
from the $olshe!i. I am not e!en sure that the' differed from
them at all.% #enin concurred6
%The tactics adopted in the period of the whirlwind did not
further estrange the two wings of
the ocial Democratic "art', but brought them closer together9The
upsurge of the
re!olutionar' tide pushed aside disagreements, compelling the
ocial Democrats to adopt
militant tactics.%
In an' case, whate!er differences would resurface in the period
leading up to )4):,
%democratic centralism% was not one of them. 5t a unit'
conference held in )40+, the
$olshe!is and 1enshe!is !oted for a resolution that stated6 %5ll
part' organi/ations are
built on the principles of democratic centralism%.
The report on the commission that adopted this resolution was
gi!en b' a
1enshe!i, ;agors'ue which is online at6
http6@@www.marxists.org@archi!e@luxemburg@)40?@>uestions
