The responsibility of the new CC
It is obvious that many things can change and improve in Party activity. The CC Theses for the 17th Congress put forward the conditions required to improve intra-party life, and therefore to improve party action among the people and in alliances. Proposals are put forward as to how the leadership will improve in terms of its content and method. Others will be heard during the Congress proceedings. And finally all these must be reflected in the changed situation in the BOs, because that is where leadership weaknesses are manifested cumulatively.
The pre-Congress discussion demonstrated urgently and clearly in the observations of Party members the need for the new CC and its assisting Sections to gain organisational ability in leading, with regard to content, forms and methods, so as to contribute to the unified viewpoint in action and in the ability to specialize.
They should help with their own example in practice in the study and generalisation of the total of views and thoughts and the direct experiences of the Party forces.
Both the CC and the elected leading bodies are irreconcilably opposed to generality and fragmentation, to subjectivism, empiricism and practicalism. These are phenomena that dry out intra-Party life and, regardless of intentions, strike objectively at the collective spirit and the development of intra-party democracy. Collectivity in Party work is not a formal matter of organising a meeting or a conference. It depends on the ideological and political preparation that takes place, on the work to inform the members and reply to doubts, so that concerns are focused on central issues that preoccupy the entire Party. The main thing is that the Party's members and cadres be aware of all the factors that give them the opportunity, in conjunction with their own individual experience and judgement, to express an opinion. More frequently, according to the developments and needs of the movement, and not only during election campaigns, more general discussions should be held in the Party on important political, ideological, domestic and international issues. If this matter is not brought constantly to our attention, there is a danger that a two-speed party membership may develop: one that would increase its political ability, knowledge and interest, and another that, under the burden of personal difficulties and lack of experience, would fall behind. It is above all the responsibility of the CC and the leading bodies to create these conditions, with planning and sensitivity, taking into consideration the needs shown by the BOs.
It is not enough for the CC to work out correct decisions, to make apt choices and to be capable of predicting. Each link in the party work must pay its own creative role in elaborating directions and tasks in its own field, and in enriching them with local and special experiences, and with special problems. Ability and sufficiency are ultimately judged by the level of action of the lower bodies and the BOs.
The work of leading, in terms of content, orientation and method, should conduce to an increase of personal responsibility and capability by Party cades and members in developing a spirit of creative initiative.
One of the most significant, not to say decisive, prerequisites is to improve the social composition of all bodies, and of the Party ranks, to replenish it with the new blood of the working class and of young people and women.
The participation of workers and employees in leading bodies, particularly on Regional and City Committees, is generally good: it exceeds 65%. At the level of Prefectural Committees it falls to 53%. On all bodies, however, there is a lower percentage of blue collar workers as compared with white colour ones. People working in the civil service and in the broader public sector make up a considerable volume of cadres, particularly in the City and Regional Committees. The social composition must be improved, and be more fully harmonised with the nature of the Party.
It is known that after 1991 there was significant renewal of the Party bodies, as a result of the repercussions of the crisis the Party went through. In terms of their party age, the majority of cadres on the bodies have between 21 and 30 years. This is a positive fact from the viewpoint of the concentration of experience and long-term testing during a particularly difficult period. The new CC, in common with the leading bodies, must draw up a specific policy to help the development and promotion of cadres. In the coming years broader renewal will be required.
On the leading bodies in the cities and regions, the participation of women is 19%, which is lower than the total in the Party. In the lower bodies the percent is higher. It is plain that there are delays in the special work among women and in the particular effort to promote them and utilise their skills.
The responsibility of the CC and its positive role are determined by a very basic criterion: To what degree did its work raise the level of criticism and self-criticism, the collective and individual contribution that constitute basic moving force of progress. Criticism and self-criticism constitute a basic means for the timely correction of mistakes, and ensuring that they are not reproduced and repeated.
In the pre-Congress period, regarding the discussion of the second theme of the election of bodies, a directive was given by the CC that a substantive discussion be held on every candidate, and that critical observations and recommendations be submitted. This process has not yet succeeded in taking on the required character, so as to exhaust all margins for the objective judgement of cadres.
The supervision of cadres' individual work is an important factor in increasing the critical and self-critical examination of work throughout the Party.
The pre-Congress discussion demonstrated urgently and clearly in the observations of Party members the need for the new CC and its assisting Sections to gain organisational ability in leading, with regard to content, forms and methods, so as to contribute to the unified viewpoint in action and in the ability to specialize.
They should help with their own example in practice in the study and generalisation of the total of views and thoughts and the direct experiences of the Party forces.
Both the CC and the elected leading bodies are irreconcilably opposed to generality and fragmentation, to subjectivism, empiricism and practicalism. These are phenomena that dry out intra-Party life and, regardless of intentions, strike objectively at the collective spirit and the development of intra-party democracy. Collectivity in Party work is not a formal matter of organising a meeting or a conference. It depends on the ideological and political preparation that takes place, on the work to inform the members and reply to doubts, so that concerns are focused on central issues that preoccupy the entire Party. The main thing is that the Party's members and cadres be aware of all the factors that give them the opportunity, in conjunction with their own individual experience and judgement, to express an opinion. More frequently, according to the developments and needs of the movement, and not only during election campaigns, more general discussions should be held in the Party on important political, ideological, domestic and international issues. If this matter is not brought constantly to our attention, there is a danger that a two-speed party membership may develop: one that would increase its political ability, knowledge and interest, and another that, under the burden of personal difficulties and lack of experience, would fall behind. It is above all the responsibility of the CC and the leading bodies to create these conditions, with planning and sensitivity, taking into consideration the needs shown by the BOs.
It is not enough for the CC to work out correct decisions, to make apt choices and to be capable of predicting. Each link in the party work must pay its own creative role in elaborating directions and tasks in its own field, and in enriching them with local and special experiences, and with special problems. Ability and sufficiency are ultimately judged by the level of action of the lower bodies and the BOs.
The work of leading, in terms of content, orientation and method, should conduce to an increase of personal responsibility and capability by Party cades and members in developing a spirit of creative initiative.
One of the most significant, not to say decisive, prerequisites is to improve the social composition of all bodies, and of the Party ranks, to replenish it with the new blood of the working class and of young people and women.
The participation of workers and employees in leading bodies, particularly on Regional and City Committees, is generally good: it exceeds 65%. At the level of Prefectural Committees it falls to 53%. On all bodies, however, there is a lower percentage of blue collar workers as compared with white colour ones. People working in the civil service and in the broader public sector make up a considerable volume of cadres, particularly in the City and Regional Committees. The social composition must be improved, and be more fully harmonised with the nature of the Party.
It is known that after 1991 there was significant renewal of the Party bodies, as a result of the repercussions of the crisis the Party went through. In terms of their party age, the majority of cadres on the bodies have between 21 and 30 years. This is a positive fact from the viewpoint of the concentration of experience and long-term testing during a particularly difficult period. The new CC, in common with the leading bodies, must draw up a specific policy to help the development and promotion of cadres. In the coming years broader renewal will be required.
On the leading bodies in the cities and regions, the participation of women is 19%, which is lower than the total in the Party. In the lower bodies the percent is higher. It is plain that there are delays in the special work among women and in the particular effort to promote them and utilise their skills.
The responsibility of the CC and its positive role are determined by a very basic criterion: To what degree did its work raise the level of criticism and self-criticism, the collective and individual contribution that constitute basic moving force of progress. Criticism and self-criticism constitute a basic means for the timely correction of mistakes, and ensuring that they are not reproduced and repeated.
In the pre-Congress period, regarding the discussion of the second theme of the election of bodies, a directive was given by the CC that a substantive discussion be held on every candidate, and that critical observations and recommendations be submitted. This process has not yet succeeded in taking on the required character, so as to exhaust all margins for the objective judgement of cadres.
The supervision of cadres' individual work is an important factor in increasing the critical and self-critical examination of work throughout the Party.
e-mail:cpg@int.kke.gr
