Party & Programme > Democratic centralism
The long view
29 Mar 2012
Communists must be patient, writes Paul Demarty, avoiding the twins of opportunism and adventurism
Another fine mess
16 Oct 2025
At the top there is secrecy and there is bungling. Comrades need to get organised on a serious and principled basis, says Carla Roberts. Chasing unity for unity’s sake can only but result in fudge and confusion
Probabilities, not certainties
02 Oct 2025
Should we refuse to take sides against our own ruling class because we lack absolute theoretical certainty? Should we downgrade the centrality of programme for diplomatic unity? Mike Macnair answers Jaques de Fouw
Neither king nor empress
02 Oct 2025
There is no reason to take sides in what is an unsavoury power struggle between MPs. Meanwhile, Jack Conrad warns of an impending anti-left witch-hunt and calls for the left to unite around programme and principle
Civil war continues
25 Sep 2025
Stay well clear of efforts to ‘save’ Your Party’s launch conference by a self-appointed clique intent on staging their own coup, says Carla Roberts. Instead rely on members, branches, STV elections and democracy
Straight from Momentum playbook
18 Sep 2025
Branches are to be ignored and the mass of members treated to token regional meetings and pointless break‑out sessions. Carla Roberts examines the plans for November’s founding conference
Tailing the tailists
11 Sep 2025
We are for the existence of factions where there are substantive differences. They can aid political clarity and the educational quality of debates. But what Carla Roberts proposes is that the CPGB should follow the standard far-left path. This is liquidationist, argues Mike Macnair
Reject this dog’s dinner
11 Sep 2025
Team Corbyn is postponing the launch conference. When it eventually happens, participants will be chosen by lot, things will be run under tight control and serious debate will not get a look-in, says Carla Roberts
Make the party now!
28 Aug 2025
Resolution unanimously agreed at the August 24 aggregate of CPGB members and invited supporters
Civility and its discontents
10 Jul 2025
Lessons from Martin Luther and the Hobbesian demand for speech controls. Can we build a workable communist movement without ruthless truthfulness, even at the cost of giving offence? Paul Demarty thinks no
Get back to the talking
10 Jul 2025
Being in a majority is nicer than being in a minority, but without minorities accepting being in a minority, there can be no hope of meaningful communist unity. Scott Evans reports on the June 30 TAS meeting
After Mamdani’s victory
03 Jul 2025
We should celebrate the triumph of a DSA member in New York City’s Democratic primary, argues Paul Demarty. But what this once again poses is the question of party control over representatives
They come with thorns
08 May 2025
Demands for ‘civility’, avoiding ‘name-calling’ and approaching others ‘in a comradely way’ are phrases that come straight from the dominant culture of opportunism. Mike Macnair defends the CPGB’s good culture of open criticism and robust polemics
Programmatic starting point
27 Feb 2025
Without a comprehensive, fully worked-out programme, our party will have no chance of taking coherent form, guarding against opportunism or navigating the road to socialism, argues Jack Conrad
Moshé and Nick
20 Feb 2025
Question, question, question, that is Marxism. Carla Roberts reports on the latest session in the ‘Building a Communist Party’ series organised by Why Marx?, which addressed the question of sects and sectarianism
Speech controls yet again
20 Feb 2025
There are those who want to keep differences polite, internal and under tight control. That is the approach of the opportunist right. Mike Macnair takes issue with those complaining about the CPGB’s ‘bad culture’