Marxism Research Network
Unofficial English Translation

Marxist Democratic Centralism and Contemporary Chinese Political Development

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Abstract

Marxist Thought on Democratic Centralism and Contemporary Chinese Political Development scientifically employs a research methodology combining literature review with field investigation, and analysis of representative incidents with theoretical abstraction, to provide a multidisciplinary, practical, and comprehensive interpretation of the historical conditions, basic connotations, and spiritual essence underlying the emergence of the ideology of democratic centralism. Using comparative analysis through a global lens, the research team analyzes and compares various perspectives and approaches regarding democratic centralism held by domestic and foreign scholars. By situating democratic centralism within the context of globalization, the work provides a relatively comprehensive summary of the theories and practices of democratic centralism among classical Marxist writers, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the communist parties of Eastern Europe, Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea (the Workers' Party of Korea), Laos, and Western Europe. It systematically summarizes the achievements and experiences of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in constructing democratic centralism and proposes specific, targeted measures to strengthen its implementation, possessing significant theoretical depth and practical value.

About the Author

Xin Xiangyang is the Deputy Director of the Department of Development at the Institute of Marxism Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). He serves as a specially invited researcher at the CASS Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics [1], a specially invited researcher at the China Research Society of Ideological and Political Work, a visiting professor at the Research Center for Law-based Government and Local Systems at Minzu University of China, and an adjunct professor at the School of Public Administration, Hebei Normal University. He is also a member of the Hangzhou Municipal Expert Advisory Committee on the Construction of Party Conduct and Clean Government, appointed by the Hangzhou Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.

Research Achievements: He has authored over 15 monographs (approximately 4 million characters), including Economics of the Future (People’s Publishing House, 1994), New Theory of Government, Research on "Convergence Theory", The Feudal Lords of a Great Power: The Knot of Relations Between the Center and Localities in China, Red Wall Decision-Making: Deep Causes of Chinese Government Institutional Reform, Who Can Be China’s Entrepreneurs?, A Century of Maneuvering: 100 Years of Relations Between China’s Center and Localities, Interpreting China, First Treatise on Government Theory: Interpreting Locke's "Second Treatise of Government", How Three Monks Can Have Water to Drink [2], On China's Development, Stories of the National Economy, Research on Basic Issues of the Scientific Outlook on Development [3], and A History of Democratic Thought in the West in the 20th Century. His representative articles include: "The Theory and Practice of the Communist Party of China’s Socialist Construction"; "The Experience of Jinjitai Village in Beijing in Pursuing the Path of Common Prosperity"; "Several Issues and Countermeasures in the Construction of Socialist Ideology"; "The Limited 'High Salary to Foster Integrity' System in Singapore and Its Enlightenment"; "The Necessity of Further Improving the Cadre Selection and Appointment System as Reflected by Problems in Some Local Transitional Elections"; "An Overall Evaluation of the Publicity of the Spirit of the 17th National Congress"; "Six Dimensions for Understanding the Scientific Outlook on Development"; and "The Phenomenon of Weak Public Credibility in the Selection and Appointment of Leading Cadres and Its Negative Impact."

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1: The Logic of Marx’s and Engels’s Thought on Democratic Centralism Section 1: The Practice of Democratic Centralism in the Communist League

  1. Reorganizing the League of the Just
  2. The Practice of Democratic Centralism in the Communist League Section 2: The Practice of Democratic Centralism During the First International
  3. The Process of Establishing the First International
  4. The Practice of Democratic Centralism in the First International Section 3: Democratic Theory and Practice of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
  5. The Birth of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
  6. The Requirements for Democratic Centralism in the Social Democratic Party of Germany Section 4: The Practice of Democratic Centralism in the Paris Commune
  7. The Birth of the Commune
  8. Democratic Centralist Measures Adopted by the Commune Section 5: Approaching the Democratic Centralist Theory of the Marxist Founders Scientifically
  9. Viewing the Democratic Centralist Theory of the Marxist Founders Historically
  10. The Principle of Democratic Centralism as a Requirement of the Fundamental Nature of the Proletarian Party
  11. The Principle of Democratic Centralism as a Requirement of the Laws of Development of the Proletarian Party

Chapter 2: Leninist Thought and Practice regarding Democratic Centralism Section 1: Theoretical Origins of Leninist Democratic Centralism

  1. Lenin's theory of democratic centralism was consistently based on the foundation of the Marxist founders' thoughts on building the Party.
  2. Lenin's theory of democratic centralism consistently maintained a firm grasp on the basic national conditions of Russia and drew upon excellent revolutionary traditions.
  3. Lenin's theory of democratic centralism was consistently rooted in the developmental trends of the international communist movement. Section 2: The Ideological Evolution of Leninist Democratic Centralism
  4. Lenin's theory of democratic centralism before the October Revolution
  5. Lenin's thought on democratic centralism after the October Revolution Section 3: Basic Evaluation of Leninist Democratic Centralism
  6. The immense progressiveness of Leninist democratic centralism
  7. Leninist thought on democratic centralism promoted the progress of human history

Chapter 3: Thought and Practice of Democratic Centralism in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Section 1: Stalin's Thought and Practice regarding Democratic Centralism

  1. The theoretical horizon of Stalin's thought on democratic centralism
  2. The practice of Stalin's thought on democratic centralism
  3. Evaluation of Stalin's thought on democratic centralism Section 2: Thought and Practice regarding Democratic Centralism during the Khrushchev and Brezhnev Eras
  4. Thought and practice regarding democratic centralism in the Khrushchev era
  5. Thought and practice regarding democratic centralism in the Brezhnev era Section 3: Gorbachev’s Democratization and the Betrayal of Democratic Centralism
  6. The essence of "Democratization" and "Glasnost"
  7. The "Federalization" of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union as a betrayal of democratic centralism
  8. The destruction of democratic centralism and the collapse of the Soviet Union

Chapter 4: Thought and Practice of Democratic Centralism in the Former Eastern European Communist Parties ... Chapter 5: Thought and Practice of Democratic Centralism in Foreign Ruling Communist Parties and Major Western European Communist Parties

Chapter 6: Theory and Practice of Democratic Centralism in the Communist Party of China

Chapter 7: Primary Problems in the Practice of Democratic Centralism

Chapter 8: Democratic Centralism as a Fundamental Content of Contemporary Chinese Political Development

Bibliography

Afterword