Party & Programme > Democratic centralism
The long view
29 Mar 2012
Communists must be patient, writes Paul Demarty, avoiding the twins of opportunism and adventurism
Applying Bolshevism globally
25 Apr 2024
Comintern came into existence because of, on the one hand, the treachery of most of the social democratic parties and, on the other hand, the inspiration provided by the Bolsheviks and the October Revolution. However, as Jack Conrad explains, the main problem encountered in the early years was leftism - not least when it came to electoral strategy and tactics
Same old same old
04 Apr 2024
Having abandoned clause four Fabianism, the Woods-Sewell tendency has issued a manifesto with a view to grandly renaming their oil slick international. Mike Macnair asks what, if anything, is new about their Revolutionary Communist International
A communist appeal to Socialist Appeal
09 Nov 2023
Going from Fabian clause four socialism to self-declared communism is welcome progress, says Mike Macnair. But what that poses is unity in a Communist Party
Unity based on solid principles
02 Nov 2023
Mike Macnair replies to criticism of the CPGB on partyism and explains why we uphold the use of sharp open polemics and reject the soggy methods of diplomacy
Debating unity in Socialist Alliance
05 Oct 2023
Recently there has been talk going around about CPGB-AWL ‘fusion talks’ in the early 2000s. There were talks, that is for sure, but not about fusion. This was before the Iraq war and in the context of the Socialist Alliance, which brought together six principal organisations, including the CPGB, AWL, SPEW and SWP. In the interests of clarity and to encourage worthwhile left unity, we republish our report from October 2 2002 of the CPGB’s membership aggregate, written by Mary Godwin
It’s good to talk
28 Sep 2023
Unwillingness to fight through political differences results in unprincipled splits which cannot be explained and reduces the movement to gravel. Mike Macnair issues a call for debate
Other theories, other labels
10 Aug 2023
If, after the launch of the first five-year plan, the Soviet Union cannot be classified as a workers’ state, what was it? Jack Conrad looks at some alternatives that have been offered by different schools of thought
Dumbness of dumbing down
29 Jun 2023
The Morning Star’s CPB is about to enter its pre-congress discussion period. We have here, though, a classic case of bureaucratic, not democratic, centralism. Mike Macnair investigates
All power to the 3.5%?
20 Apr 2023
The SWP cheers on those committed to minority, isolated actions such as blowing up pipelines, not those who stress programme, class politics and using elections to win majority support, writes Eddie Ford
A name that spells trouble
23 Jun 2022
The YCL's very public pro-Stalin chanting at the recent TUC demo was clearly a provocation aimed directly at Robert Griffiths and his timid leadership of the CPB, writes Lawrence Parker
Talking loud, saying nothing
26 May 2022
Paul Demarty checks in on the congress of the Socialist Party in England and Wales - a decision-making body apparently without decisions to make
Open letter to ‘Red Line TV’
12 May 2022
Jack Conrad scorns the ‘alive and kicking’ claim, questions Labour Briefing’s ‘great tradition’ and urges rebellion against LRC’s social-imperialism
Totally in control
11 Nov 2021
The central committee is looking forward to yet another conference without a peep of opposition from the rank and file. Peter Manson reports on the first of three internal bulletins
Failing the Lenin test
21 Oct 2021
A spooked leadership is attempting to silence its left critics, especially the rebel youth wing. The use of cadre names, defence of Stalin, advocacy of a popular militia and any public dissent have been outlawed. Paul Demarty reports on what could end up as a messy split
Principle, not dogma
17 Dec 2020
No one can discredit Marxism better than ‘Marxists’. Mike Macnair responds to criticisms from Gerry Downing and Levi Rafael