CPSU party. Communist Party of the Soviet Union. From the Communist Party of Azerbaijan

political party in 1898-1991. The history began with the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP), founded at the 1st Congress (1898, Minsk). It finally took shape at the 2nd Congress (1903, Brussels, London), which adopted the party program (the minimum program provided for the overthrow of the autocracy, the establishment of a republic, the introduction of an 8-hour working day, the elimination of the remnants of serfdom, the equality of nations and their right to self-determination; the program - maximum determined the main task - the implementation of a socialist revolution with the goal of overthrowing capitalism and establishing the dictatorship of the proletariat). At the 2nd Congress, two factions took shape - the Bolsheviks, led by V.I. Lenin, and the Mensheviks, led by L. Martov and G.V. Plekhanov, who later formed into independent parties. In 1917, after the February Revolution, Bolshevik organizations adopted the name RSDLP (Bolsheviks). In October 1917, the leadership of the RSDLP(b) under the slogan “All power to the Soviets!” seized power in the country. At the 7th Congress (1918, Moscow), a new name for the party was adopted: Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) - RCP(b). The program adopted at the 8th Party Congress (1919) in its most general form declared the principles of the transition from capitalism to socialism. By the beginning of the 1920s. The Bolshevik leadership banned the activities of all other political parties in the country. The Bolshevik Party, called the All-Union Party (VKP(b) since 1925), became the only political party that concentrated in its hands all the levers of power both in the center and locally. The one-party system became stronger by the late 20s and early 30s. With the victory in the internal party struggle of the group of I. V. Stalin, who had held the post of General Secretary of the Party Central Committee since 1922, the 19th Party Congress (1952) renamed it the CPSU. At the 20th Congress (1956), part of the party leadership, led by N. S. Khrushchev, condemned the so-called. Stalin's personality cult, mass repression and authoritarian leadership methods. At the 22nd Congress of the CPSU (1961), the 3rd party program was adopted. Based on the thesis that socialism had won “completely and completely” in the USSR, the program proclaimed the country’s entry into the period of “full-scale construction of communism.” The subsequent development of the country showed the utopian nature of the main provisions of the program. Since the late 60s. the party and the political system headed by it entered a stage of stagnation (“stagnation”), conservative forces led by L. I. Brezhnev prevailed in its leadership; The rate of economic development of the country has sharply decreased. The Constitution of the USSR (1977) secured the position of the CPSU as the leading and guiding force of Soviet society, the core of its political system, state and public organizations as one of the main constitutional norms. In the mid-80s. The top party leadership led by M. S. Gorbachev proclaimed a course towards “perestroika” and democratization of Soviet society, the 27th Congress of the CPSU (1986) adopted a “new edition” of the program, in which the provision on “building communism” was replaced by the thesis on “improving socialism", the 28th Congress (1990), after a heated debate, approved the party "platform", which actually canceled the 1986 program and declared the gradual transition of the CPSU to the position of "democratic socialism". Several currents opposing each other took shape within the CPSU. The confrontation between reformist and conservative forces led to an aggravation of crisis phenomena in the party and society. During the August crisis of 1991, in accordance with the decrees of the President of the RSFSR B.N. Yeltsin, the activities of the CPSU on the territory of the RSFSR were terminated, and its organizational structures were dissolved. In 1992 and subsequent years, a number of communist parties and organizations were created in Russia, the largest of which is the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

Representatives of the older generation know very well what the CPSU is. They lived during the spread of communist ideology, the basics of which were taught in school.

Many may have disagreed with the policies of the authorities, but everyone knew that the CPSU was the only party that would lead the country forward. With the collapse of the USSR, the situation changed radically. Nevertheless, the existing ideology was firmly entrenched in the minds of the population. Let us consider in detail in the article what the CPSU is.

General information

So, what does CPSU mean? This The acronym stands for Communist Party of the Soviet Union. At the initial stages of its existence, it was called the RSDLP (b), RCP (b), VKP (b). Its founder is V.I. Lenin.

During the socialist years, the CPSU was the party of all the people of the USSR. She became ruling as a result of strengthening political and social unity.

Charter

It establishes that the CPSU is “a proven militant vanguard of the people, uniting on a voluntary basis the most conscious, advanced part of the proletariat, intelligentsia and peasantry.” The Charter states that the party is called upon to serve the people.

What is the CPSU for a Soviet citizen? The party was the highest form of socio-political organization, the guiding, guiding force of society. Moreover, it was proclaimed as an integral element of the international workers' communist movement.

The first congresses of the CPSU

The very first meeting of the party took place in 1898. At this congress it received the name RSDLP. In 1917, the word “Bolsheviks” was added to the name. As a result, the full name was as follows: Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (Bolsheviks). At the 7th Congress, however, the name was changed again. The party began to be called in short: RCP (b).

Lenin justified the changes in the name by the need to reflect in it the goal that a socialist society sets for itself - the achievement of communism.

In 1925, the USSR was officially formed. In this regard, the name of the party was changed to the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. The final name was approved in 1952 at the 19th Congress. The party became known as the CPSU.

Batch meaning

If we talk about what the CPSU is for people who participated in the fight against fascism, then we cannot fail to note the enormous contribution of the country’s leadership to the victory over the invaders. The party became the driving force of the entire Soviet people. Its ideology rallied millions of people in the fight against fascism.

Under the leadership of the CPSU, the people built developed socialism, turning the country into one of the most powerful powers, with advanced science and culture. The policy that Lenin proclaimed, which was put into practice by his followers, ensured the unity of the population around the party. As a result, a new community was formed - the Soviet people.

Theoretical basis

It is the Marxist-Leninist teaching. Based on his ideas, at each congress the CPSU identified new promising tasks. At the same time, the ultimate goal of the party always remained unchanged and was to build a communist society. At the 22nd Congress, a corresponding program was adopted. One of its objectives was to create the material and technical base for building communism. Its implementation assumed:

  • Electrification of the country, improvement of technology, equipment, organization of production in every economic sector.
  • Widespread use of chemical products.
  • Comprehensive mechanization of processes with their subsequent automation.
  • Development of promising, cost-effective sectors, creation of new materials and types of energy.
  • Rational and comprehensive use of all resources (labor, material, natural).
  • Increasing the cultural and technical level of workers.
  • Achieving superiority over developed capitalist states in terms of labor productivity.

Secretaries of the CPSU Central Committee

The leading working body of the party was the secretariat. Secretaries of the CPSU Central Committee could participate in Politburo meetings and had the right to an advisory vote.

The current activities of the party were managed by the Plenum of the Central Committee. The secretariat had an apparatus with industry departments. With his help, operational activities were carried out. Below is a list of secretaries of the Central Committee of the CPSU of the USSR from 1925 to 1941:

  1. Bubnov. A.S.
  2. Kosior S. V.
  3. Evdokimov G. E.
  4. Shvernik N. M.
  5. Kubyak N. A.
  6. Smirnov A.P.
  7. Kaganovich L. M.
  8. Bauman K. Ya.
  9. Postyshev P. P.
  10. Kirov S. M.
  11. Zhdanov A. A.
  12. Ezhov N. I.
  13. Andreev A. A.
  14. Malenkov G. M.
  15. Shcherbakov A. S.

Secretary General

The General Secretary of the CPSU was considered the highest official in the country. This post of General Secretary was first introduced, presumably, in 1922. The first party member to occupy it was Stalin. Unofficially, Krestinsky was considered the general secretary when in 1919-1921. was the only one of the three secretaries of the Central Committee to be a member of the Politburo.

During the elections of the secretariat, the position of the general secretary was not mentioned at the plenums. Until Stalin's death, it remained non-statutory.

In 1953, instead of the post of Secretary General, the post of First Secretary was established. In 1966 it was renamed back. At the same time, the position of the General Secretary was enshrined in the Charter of the Communist Party.

Organizational Basics

They are reflected in the Party Charter. This document defines the norms of party life, forms, methods of building communism, ways of managing all areas of ideological, state, social, and economic activity.

In accordance with the Charter, the organizational principle is democratic socialism. It means:

  • Election of governing bodies from bottom to top.
  • Regular reporting of party structures to their organizations and higher government institutions.
  • Strict discipline, subordination of minority opinion to majority opinion.
  • Unconditional mandatory execution of decisions of higher structures.

Members of the CPSU

Any Soviet citizen who recognized the party program and the Charter, took an active part in building a communist society, carried out the decisions of the party leadership, and paid dues could join the pariah.

All members of the CPSU were subject to the following responsibilities:

  • Serve as an example of the correct communist attitude to the performance of public duty and work.
  • Steadfastly and firmly implement the decisions of the party leadership.
  • Explain the political program to the population.
  • Actively participate in political processes, government, cultural and economic construction.
  • Know the basics of Marxist-Leninist theory.
  • Resolutely fight against all bourgeois manifestations, remnants of private property relations, religious prejudices, and other remnants of the past.
  • Be attentive and sensitive to people.
  • Observe the norms of communist morality.
  • Actively promote the ideas of socialist internationalism and Soviet patriotism.
  • Strengthen the unity of the party system.
  • Develop self-criticism and criticism.
  • To be honest and truthful before the people and the party.
  • Maintain state and party discipline.
  • Be vigilant.
  • Contribute to strengthening the defense capability of the USSR.

Rights

Any party member could be elected to party bodies or participate in the elections of their members. Party citizens could freely discuss issues of practical activities of the CPSU at party meetings, congresses, conferences, and committee meetings.

Party members had the right to make proposals for improving the work of the governing body, to express openly, to defend their own opinions before a decision is made, to criticize any communist at meetings, conferences, and other meetings, regardless of his position.

Procedural issues

Admission to the CPSU was always carried out on an individual basis. Active, conscientious representatives of the intelligentsia, working class and peasantry, devoted to communism, were accepted into the party.

All citizens joining the CPSU underwent candidate experience. It was 1 year. Only persons over 18 years of age could join the party. At the same time, citizens under 23 years of age were admitted to the CPSU through the VLKS.

In case of failure to fulfill the duties of a party member provided for by the Charter, a citizen (including a candidate) was held accountable. Various disciplinary and other measures were taken against him. The highest punishment for a party member was expulsion from it.

Structure

The CPSU was built on the territorial production principle. Primary organizations were formed at the place of work of citizens. They united into district ones, then into city ones, and so on.

The highest governing bodies for primary organizations were general meetings, for district, city, regional, district - conferences, for the CPSU and parties of the republics - congresses.

At general meetings, conferences, and congresses, a bureau or committee was elected. They acted as executive structures and supervised all current activities of the party organization. Elections of members of party bodies were held according to the principle of secret (closed) voting.

The party congress was considered the supreme governing body. It elected the Central Committee and the Central Audit Commission. Congresses were convened at least once every five years. Between them, the party's activities were under the leadership of the CPSU Central Committee.

After the end of World War II, communist ideology became one of the most widespread in the world, influencing the lives and destinies of millions of people. The Soviet Union, having won the bloody confrontation with imperialism, confirmed the viability of the socialist path of development of civil society. The formation of the People's Republic of China in October 1949, where Chinese communists took the helm of a country of many millions, only confirmed the correctness of Marxist-Leninist ideology in the context of managing a large civil society. New historical realities have created fertile ground for the parade of communism across the planet, led by the CPSU.

What is the CPSU and its place in history

In no country in the world, in any part of the world, before or since has there been, and still is not, a powerful party organization that can compare in its influence on economic and social life with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The history of the CPSU is a vivid example of political management of the state system at all stages of the development of civil society. For 70 years, the huge country was led by the party, controlling all spheres of life of the Soviet people and influencing the world political system. Resolutions of the CPSU Central Committee, the Presidium and the Politburo, decisions of plenums, party congresses and party conferences determined the economic development of the country and the directions of the foreign policy of the Soviet state. The Communist Party did not achieve such power right away. The communists (aka Bolsheviks) were forced to go through a long and thorny path, often zigzag and bloody, in order to finally establish themselves as the sole leading political force of the world's first socialist state.

If the history of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union goes back almost a century, then the abbreviation CPSU - Communist Party of the Soviet Union arose relatively recently, in 1952. Until this moment, the leading party in the USSR was called the All-Union Communist Party. The history of the CPSU begins with the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party, founded in the Russian Empire in 1898. The first Russian political party with a socialist orientation became the basic platform for the revolutionary movement in Russia. Later, during the historical events of 1917, a split occurred in the ranks of the RSDLP into the Bolsheviks - supporters of an armed uprising and the forceful seizure of power in the country - and the Mensheviks - a wing of the party that adhered to liberal views. The left wing that had formed in the party, more reactionary and militarized, tried to take control of the revolutionary situation in Russia by taking an active part in the October armed uprising. It was the Bolshevik RSDLP under the leadership of Ulyanov-Lenin that played a key role in the victory of the socialist revolution, taking upon itself full power in the country. At the XII Congress of the RSDLP, a decision was made to form the Russian Communist Bolshevik Party, which received the abbreviation RCP (b).

The inclusion of the adjective “communist” in the name of the party, according to V.I. Lenin, must indicate the ultimate goal of the party, for the sake of which all socialist transformations are being undertaken in the country.

Having come to power, the former Russian Social Democrats, led by V.I. Lenin proclaimed his program to build the world's first socialist state of workers and peasants. The basic platform for the state structure was the party program, the main emphasis of which was Marxist ideology. Having survived the difficult period of the Civil War, the Bolsheviks began state building, making the party apparatus the main political and administrative structure in the country. The party leadership relied on a powerful ideology, striving to gain a leading role in the state structure. Along with the councils, which formally performed representative functions, the Bolsheviks organized their own governing party bodies, which over time began to carry out the tasks of the executive branch. The Soviets and the CPSU, which later became known as the Bolshevik Party, maintained close ties in the leadership of the country, formally demonstrating the presence of representative power.

In the USSR, they managed to skillfully disguise the dominant role of the party in the election process. Locally, there were village and city councils of people's deputies, which were elected by popular vote, but in fact, almost every people's deputy was a member of the CPSU. The Soviets were completely absorbed into the party structures of the Communist Party, performing two local functions at once, party representation and executive functions. The decisions of the senior party leadership were first submitted to the Presidium of the Central Committee, after which their approval was required at the Plenum of the Central Committee. In practice, decisions of the CPSU Central Committee were often a prerequisite for subsequent legislative acts submitted to meetings of the Supreme Council and Resolutions adopted by the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

We can safely say that the Bolsheviks managed to realize their efforts to achieve hegemony of political power in Soviet Russia. The entire vertical of power, starting with the People's Commissariat and ending with the Soviet authorities, becomes completely under the control of the Bolsheviks. The Central Committee of the Party determines the foreign and domestic policy of the country during that period. The weight of the party leadership at all levels, which relies on a powerful repressive apparatus, is growing. The Red Army and the Cheka become instruments of the party’s forceful influence on social and public sentiment in civil society. The competence of the communist leadership includes the military industry, the country's economy, education, culture and foreign policy, which was under the jurisdiction of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee.

Communist ideas for the creation of a workers' and peasants' state were realized in 1922, when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed in place of Soviet Russia. The next step in the transformation of the Communist Party was the XIV Party Congress, which decided to rename the organization into the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. The name of the party VKP(b) lasted 27 years, after which the new name Communist Party of the Soviet Union was established as the final version.

The main reason for changing the name of the Communist Party was the growing weight of the Soviet Union in the political arena. Victory in the Great Patriotic War and economic achievements made the USSR a leading world power. The main governing force of the country needed a more respectable and sonorous name. In addition, the political need to divide the communist movement into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks disappeared. The entire party structure and political lines were tailored to the main idea, the construction of a communist society in the USSR.

Political structure of the CPSU

The first in the post-war period was the 19th Party Congress, convened after a long 13-year break. Stalin, the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, made a speech at the forum. This was his last appearance in public. It was at this congress that the main directions of the future political and economic structure of the country in the post-war period were adopted, and the course in the domestic and foreign policy of the Communist Party was outlined. The communists, represented by all layers of Soviet society, who gathered at the 19th Party Congress, unanimously supported the proposal of the party leadership to amend the Party Charter. The idea of ​​changing the name of the party to the CPSU was met with approval from the congress participants. The Party Charter again established the position of the first person of the party - the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee.

Note: It should be noted that apart from the party card, indicating membership in the party, there were no other insignia among the communists. Unofficially, it was customary to wear a badge - the banner of the CPSU, on which, together with the abbreviation CPSU and the face of V.I. Lenin depicted the main symbols of the Soviet state, the red flag and the crossed hammer and sickle. Over time, the official symbol of the communist movement in the USSR becomes the badge of a participant in the next party congress and a participant in the CPSU conference.

The role of the Communist Party in the early 50s for the USSR is difficult to overestimate. In addition to the fact that the party leadership develops the domestic and foreign policies of the Soviet state throughout its existence, party authorities are present in all spheres of life of the Soviet people. The party structure is built in such a way that in every body and organization, in production and in the cultural and social sphere, not a single decision is made without the participation and control of the party. The main instrument for carrying out the party line in civil society is a member of the CPSU - a person who has unquestioned authority, high moral and strong-willed qualities. From several members, on the basis of industrial or professional identity, a primary party cell is formed, the lowest party body. All that is above are specialized and regional organizations that unite ordinary citizens locally according to an ideological principle.

The class composition was also reflected in the recruitment of party ranks. Representing the interests of the ruling class, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union consisted of 55-60% representatives of the proletarian environment and the Soviet peasantry. Moreover, the proportion of communists who came from the working class was always two or three times higher than the number of collective farmers. These quotas were tacitly approved back in the 20s and 30s. The remaining 40% were representatives of the intelligentsia. Moreover, this quota has been preserved in modern times, when the country’s urban population has rapidly increased.

Party vertical

What is the CPSU in the new, post-war era? This is already a large Marxist party, whose political will and subsequent actions are aimed at creating a dominant position of the proletariat in the country. The General Secretaries of the CPSU Central Committee, as before, perform the functions of the country's top leadership. The main governing body of the party, the Central Committee, was practically a government body in the USSR.

The highest party body of the party was the congress. Throughout history, 28 party congresses have taken place. The first 7 events were legal and semi-legal. From 1917 to 1925, party congresses were held annually. Then the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) met at congresses every two years. Since 1961, congresses of the CPSU have been held every 5 years. At the new stage, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union held 10 of its largest forums:

  • XIX Congress of the CPSU in 1952;
  • XX – 1956;
  • XXI – 1959;
  • XXII Congress - 1961;
  • XXIII – 1966;
  • XXIV –1971;
  • XXV Congress - 1976;
  • XXVI –1981;
  • XXVII Congress - 1986;
  • the last XXVIII Congress – 1990

The decisions and resolutions adopted at the congresses were fundamental for subsequent decisions of the Central Committee, the Soviet government and other legislative and executive authorities. At the congress the composition of the Central Committee of the Central Committee was determined. In the period between congresses, the main work on the line of party administration was carried out by the Plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU. At the plenums, the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee was elected from the members of the Presidium of the Central Committee. The plenums were attended not only by members of the highest party bodies, but also by candidates for membership of the Central Committee. The power to make decisions during breaks between plenums lay entirely with the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, which consisted of members of the Central Committee. The newly created collegial body was entrusted with administrative functions for managing the party and the country, which were previously assigned to another governing body - the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU.

A unique situation arose in the USSR when the decisions of the party played the main role in governing the state. Neither the Council of Ministers, nor the relevant ministries, nor the Supreme Council adopted a single law without the approval of the party elite. All decisions, orders and resolutions of the CPSU Central Committee, decisions of the Plenum of the Central Committee secretly had the force of legislative acts on the basis of which the Council of Ministers had already acted. In modern times, this trend has not only continued, but also intensified. However, despite the total dominance of the communist party in the political and social life of the country, it was necessary to make some changes to the structure of the party organization, caused by new political trends and motives. The Central Committee and the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee in the period between plenums and congresses played the role of a shadow government.

After the Baltic countries joined the Soviet state as union republics, it was necessary to change the structure of the party along national and regional lines. Organizationally, the CPSU consisted of the communist parties of the union republics that were part of the Soviet Union, 14 instead of 15. The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic did not have its own party organization. The secretaries of the republican parties were members of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, which was a collegial and advisory body.

Highest party position in the CPSU Central Committee

The structure of the top party leadership has always maintained a collective and collegial management style, but the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee remained the most significant and iconic figure of the party Olympus.

This was the only non-collegial position in the structure of the Communist Party. In terms of powers and rights, the first person in the party was the nominal Head of the Soviet state. Neither the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, nor the Chairman of the Council of Ministers had the same powers as the general secretaries had in the Soviet Union. In total, the political history of the Soviet state knew 6 General Secretaries. IN AND. Lenin, although he occupied the highest level in the party hierarchy, remained the nominal head of the Soviet government, holding the post of Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars.

The combination of the highest party position and the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars was continued by I.V. Stalin, who became head of the Soviet government in 1941. Further, after the death of the leader, the tradition of combining the highest party post with the highest executive power was continued by N. S. Khrushchev, who was the Head of the Soviet government. After Khrushchev's removal from all posts, it was decided to formally separate the positions of Secretary General and Head of the Soviet Government. The General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee performs representative functions, while all executive power is vested in the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

The position of Secretary General after Stalin's death was held by the following persons:

  • N.S. Khrushchev - 1953-1964;
  • L. I. Brezhnev - 1964-1982;
  • Yu.V. Andropov - 1982-1984;
  • K. U. Chernenko - 1984-1985;
  • M.S. Gorbachev - 1985-1991

The last Secretary General was M. S. Gorbachev, who, in parallel with the post of head of the party, served as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and then became the first President of the USSR. From now on, the resolutions of the CPSU Central Committee are advisory in nature. The main emphasis in the country's leadership is on the representation of power. The powers of the party leadership in governing the country in the internal and external arena are becoming limited.

Collegiate governing bodies of the CPSU

The main feature of the activities of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union is the collegiality of the management structure. Starting with V.I. Lenin, in the party leadership, quorum plays an important role in decision making. However, despite the apparent collectivity and collegiality in the management of the party, with the arrival of I.S. Stalin to the highest party posts, a transition to an authoritarian style of management is planned. Only with the advent of N.S. Khrushchev as General Secretary there was a return to the collegial style of management. The Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee again becomes the highest party body, making decisions and responsible for the implementation of program points adopted at plenums and congresses.

The role of this body in the management of public affairs is gradually growing. Considering that all leading positions in the Soviet state were occupied only by members of the CPSU, we can say that the entire party elite, possessing full power, is represented in the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee. In addition to the General Secretary, the bureau included secretaries of the Republican Central Committee of the party, first secretaries of the Moscow and Leningrad regional committees, the Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council and the Supreme Council of the RSFRS. As representatives of the executive branch, the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee necessarily included the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Defense of the USSR, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Head of the State Security Committee.

This trend in the management system continued until the very last days of the existence of the Soviet Union. After the last XXVIII Party Congress, a split emerged in the Communist Party. With the introduction of the post of President of the USSR in 1990, the role of the Politburo in managing state affairs sharply decreased. Already in March 1990, Article 6 was excluded from the USSR Constitution, which enshrined the leading role of the CPSU in the management of state affairs. At the last congress, the hegemony of the Communist Party in the life of the country was put to an end. A split has emerged within the party at the highest level. Several factions appeared at once, each of which preached its own point of view regarding the subsequent fate of the party, its place in the leadership of the country.

Resolutions of the CPSU Central Committee already take the form of internal party circulars, which indirectly reflect the main directions of the work of the Soviet government. Since 1990, the party has been losing control over the country's governance system. The activities of the President of the USSR, the functions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Cabinet of Ministers of the USSR become defining and decisive in the life of the state. The collapse of the USSR as a single state put an end to the existence of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union as a major organizational political force.

Today, only party banners, surviving party cards and party congress badges remind us of the former greatness of the Communist Party, which remained at the helm of the state for 72 years. According to statistics, as of January 1, 1991, there were 16.5 million members and candidates in the ranks of the CPSU. This is the largest figure for political parties in the world, not counting the numerical strength of the Chinese Communist Party.

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] Edited by Em. Yaroslavsky.
(Moscow: Party Publishing House (Partizdat), 1933. - Marx-Engels-Lenin Institute under the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (b). Protocols of congresses and conferences of the All-Union Communist Party (b). Workers of all countries, unite!)
Scan, OCR, processing, Djv, Pdf format: Sergey Mineev, 2019

  • CONTENT:
    From the editor (3).
    PROTOCOLS OF THE CONGRESS
    From the editorial committee (5).
    FIRST MEETING (evening of March 18) (7-34).
    Lenin's opening of the congress - Lenin's speech (7-9); elections of the presidium (9-10); secretariat (10); Credentials Commission (YU); audit commission (10-11) and editorial commission (11); adoption of regulations (11); discussion of the order of the day of the congress (11-12); Kamenev's speech on the anniversary of the Paris Commune (12-13); greeting to the Red Army (13); Radek's greeting (13); election of honorary members of the presidium (14); discussion of the first item on the order of the day - report of the Central Committee - report of Lenin (14-28); debate on the report of the Central Committee - speeches by Alexandrov (28); Osinsky (29-31); Vareikis (31); Lomova (31-32); Krylova (32); discussion of the resolution on the Central Committee report (33-34); adoption of resolution (34); making a decision to organize three sections at the congress (34).
    SECOND MEETING (morning of March 19) (35-76).
    Lozovsky's welcoming speech on behalf of the Social Democratic Internationalists (35-36); discussion of the second item on the order of the day - the party program (36-76); Bukharin's report (36-49); Lenin's report (50-66); acceptance of the “Address” (67); debate on program reports (67-76); Podbelsky's speech (67-69); Lomova (69-70); Ryazanov (70-03); Krasikova (73-74); Krylenko (74-76).
    MEETING THREE (evening of March 19) (77-118).
    Albert's welcoming speech on behalf of the foreign delegates of the First Congress of the Comintern (77); continuation of debate on the program (77-118); Yurenev's speech (77-79); Pyatakov (79-83); Tomsky (83-86); Sunitsa (86-89); Herman (89-91); Osinsky (91-96); Rykova (96-100); final, Lenin's word (101-109); Bukharin (109-116); adoption of a resolution on the draft program (116-117); elections of the program commission (117-118).
    SESSION FOUR (morning of March 20) (119-161).
    Discussion of the third item of the order of the day - attitude towards the Communist International (119-145); Zinoviev's report (119-141); debate on the issue of the Comintern (141-145); Torchinsky's speech (141-142); Milutina (143); final words of Zinoviev (143-145); adoption of resolution (145); discussion of point 4 of the order of the day - martial law (145-160); Sokolnikov's report (146-155); co-report by V. Smirnov (155-160); Sapronov's proposal (161).
    FIRST MEETING OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL SECTION (evening of March 20) (162-188).
    Zinoviev's report (162-164); co-report by Osinsky (165-169); Nogin's speeches (169-171); Sapronova (171-173); Sosnovsky (173-176); Skrypnik (176-177); Avanesova (177-179); Kaganovich (179-181); Muranova (181); Ignatiev (182-183); Osinsky's final words (184-185); Zinoviev (185-187); adoption of resolution (187); commission elections (188).
    SECOND MEETING OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL SECTION (morning of March 21) (89-227).
    Osinsky's report (189-199); Ignatov's speeches (199-201); Antonov (201-203); Sapronova (903-203); Volina (205-207); Avanesova (207-211); Minkova (211-213); Mgeladze (213-215); Kaganovich (215-217); Latsis (217-218); Osinsky's final words (218-220); Zinoviev (220-226); adoption of resolution (227).
    FIRST MEETING OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTION (evening of March 20) (228-250).
    Kuraev's report on land policy (228-243); debate on the issue of land policy - speeches by Gorshkov (243-244); Lishaeva (244-245); Milyutin (245-248); Pakhomov (248-249).
    SECOND MEETING OF THE AGRARIAN SECTION (morning of March 21) (251-259).
    Opening a private meeting (251); Kostelovskaya's report on work in the village (251-255); opening of the meeting of the agricultural section (256); debate on Kuraev's report on land policy - Ivanov's speeches (256-257); Polyanina (257-258); Milyukova (258-259).
    THIRD MEETING OF THE AGRARIAN SECTION (evening of March 22) (260-272).
    Continuation of the debate on reports on land policy and work in the countryside (260-272); speech by the chairman (Lunacharsky) with a proposal on the procedure for further work (260); speeches by Kuraev (260) Philip (261); Milyutin (261-262); Sudika (263); Pavlova (263); Panfilova (263-264); Savelyeva (264); Kvasnikova (264-265); Pakhomova (265); Ivanova (265-266); Sergusheva (266); Mitrofanova (266-270); Lunacharsky (270); Ivanova (270-271); Milutina (271); Lunacharsky (271); Mitrofanova (271); Nemtseva (271); Minina (272); Palitkova (272); commission elections (272); closing section (272). Report from the editorial commission on the minutes of the meeting of the military section and the closed plenary meeting of the congress (272).
    SESSION SIX (morning of March 22) (273-301).
    Election of a commission to develop a resolution on a military issue (273); report of the credentials commission - report of Stasova (273-274); debate on the report - speeches by Minkov (274); Vetoshkina (275); final words (276); approval of the report of the Credentials Committee (277); discussion of organizational issues (277-301); Zinoviev's report (277-294); additional reports: Sosnovsky - on the press (94-295); Kollontai - about work among women (295-300); Shatskina - about work among young people (300-301).
    SESSION SEVEN (evening of March 22) (302-336).
    Continued discussion of the organizational issue (302-324); co-report by Osinsky (302-313); singing on the organizational issue - Sapronov’s speeches (313-315); Lunacharsky (316-318); Osinsky's closing remarks (318-321); Zinoviev’s announcement of a radio telegram about the proclamation of the Soviet Republic in Hungary (321); Rudnyansky's speech (321-322); instructions to Lenin to send a greeting by radio to the government of Soviet Hungary (322); continuation of the discussion of the organizational issue - Zinoviev’s final word (322-324); adoption of a core resolution and three additional resolutions (324); report of the audit commission (325); approval of the report (323); discussion of the report of the program commission (326-335); Kamenev's report (326-335); announcement by the chairman of additional information about the events in Budapest (333); continuation of the discussion of the report of the program commission - Pyatakov’s speech with the announcement of the amendment (335-336); voting (336); adoption of the party program (336).
    SESSION EIGHTH (evening of March 23) (337-364).
    Discussion of the report of the commission on the issue of military policy (337-338); Yaroslavsky's report (337-338); adoption of resolution (338); discussion of the issue of the procedure for elections of the Central Committee (338-339); discussion of the report on work in the village (339-361); Lenin's report (339-353); speeches by Lunacharsky (353); Pakhomov (353-356; Lenin (357); Lunacharsky (357); extraordinary statement by Sadoul with respect to the memory of the executed Jeanne Labourbe (357-358); continuation of the debate on work in the village - Panfilov’s speech (358-361); adoption of a resolution (361 ); elections of the Central Committee (361); Lenin’s speech at the closing of the congress (361-364); closing of the congress (364).
    CONGRESS MATERIALS (365-429).
    I. Resolutions and resolutions (365-425).
    1. According to the report of the Central Committee (365).
    2. About the draft program (365).
    3. Program of the RCP (b) (379).
    4. About the Communist International (401).
    5. On a military issue. (401-411).
    A. General provisions (401).
    B. Practical measures (410).
    6. On the organizational issue (411-417).
    A. Party building (411-415).
    1. Party growth (411).
    2. Connection with the masses (412).
    3. Central Committee and local organizations (412).
    4. Internal structure of the Central Committee (413).
    5. National organizations (413).
    6. Existence of special organizations (414).
    7. Centralism and discipline (414).
    8. Distribution of party forces (414).
    9. Training of party workers (414).
    10. “News of the Central Committee” (414).
    11. Party charter (415).
    B. Soviet construction (415-416).
    1. Composition of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (415).
    2. Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (415).
    3. Councils and executive committees (415).
    4. Involvement of all workers in the councils (415).
    5. Socialist control (415).
    B. Relations between the party and the councils (416-417).
    7. On the attitude towards the middle peasantry (417).
    8. About political propaganda and cultural and educational work in the village (420).
    9. About work among the female proletariat (423).
    10. About work among young people (423).
    11. About the party and Soviet press (424).
    12. About the Central Committee (425).
    13. About the audit commission (425).
    II. Greetings of the VIII Congress of the RCP(b) (426-427).
    1. To the Communist International (426).
    2. Red Army (426).
    3. To the Government of the Hungarian Soviet Republic (426).
    4. Comrade Lorio (426).
    5. To Comrade Radek (427).
    III. Address of the VIII Congress of the RCP(b) to party organizations (428).
    IV. Rules of the Congress (429).
    APPLICATIONS (430-471).
    I. Reports of the Central Committee of the RCP (b) (430-447).
    A. Organizational report of the Central Committee (430-445).
    1. Organizational work (430).
    2. Activities of the secretariat (430-433).
    a) Reports, reports, correspondence (430).
    b) Reception of delegates (432).
    c) Questionnaires (433).
    3. Publishing activities (433).
    4. Report of the Central Bureau of Muslim Organizations of the RCP (Bolsheviks) (433).
    5. Report on the activities of the Federation of Foreign Groups (434-439).
    a) General report (434).
    b) Report of the German Group (436).
    c) Report of the Hungarian Group (437).
    d) Report of the Central Committee of the Czech-Slovak Group (438).
    e) Report of the South Slavic group (438).
    6. Communication with organizations (439).
    B. Cash report of the Central Committee of the RCP (b) (448-449).
    II. Appeal from the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) (448).
    III. Composition of the congress, its sections and commissions (449-465).
    1. Voting delegates (449).
    2. Delegates with advisory vote (459).
    3. Organizational section (463).
    4. Military section (464).
    5. Agrarian section (464).
    6. Presidium (465).
    7. Secretariat (465).
    8. Program Commission (465).
    9. Organizing commission (465).
    10. Military commission (465).
    11. Agrarian Commission (465).
    12. Audit Commission (465).
    13. Credentials Committee (465).
    14. Editorial committee (465).
    IV. Questionnaire about the personnel of the congress (466-470).
    V. Factual amendment (471).
    NOTES (472-517).
    INDEXES (519-557).
    Dictionary-index of names (519).
    Subject index (548).
    ILLUSTRATION
    Book cover: “VIII Congress of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks)” - 1919 (3).

From the editor: The Eighth Party Congress has an outstanding place in the history of our party. At this congress, the party program that is still in force was adopted. Associated with this congress is a resolution on a strong alliance with the middle peasantry and other decisions of world-historical significance...

This now almost unused abbreviation was once known to every child and was pronounced almost with reverence. Central Committee of the CPSU! What do these letters mean?

About the name

The abbreviation we are interested in means, or more simply, Central Committee. Considering the importance of the Communist Party in society, its governing body could well be called the kitchen in which fateful decisions for the country were “cooked.” Members of the CPSU Central Committee, the main elite of the country, are the “cooks” in this kitchen, and the “chef” is the General Secretary.

From the history of the CPSU

The history of this public entity began long before the revolution and the proclamation of the USSR. Until 1952, its names changed several times: RCP(b), VKP(b). These abbreviations reflected both the ideology, which was clarified each time (from workers' social democracy to the Bolshevik Communist Party), and the scale (from Russian to all-Union). But the names are not the point. From the 20s to the 90s of the last century, a one-party system functioned in the country, and the Communist Party had a complete monopoly. The Constitution of 1936 recognized it as the governing core, and in the main law of the country of 1977 it was even proclaimed the guiding and guiding force of society. Any directives issued by the CPSU Central Committee instantly acquired the force of law.

All this, of course, did not contribute to the democratic development of the country. In the USSR, inequality of rights along party lines was actively promoted. Even small leadership positions could only be applied for by members of the CPSU, who could be held accountable for mistakes along party lines. One of the most terrible punishments was deprivation of a party card. The CPSU positioned itself as a party of workers and collective farmers, so there were quite strict quotas for its recruitment with new members. It was difficult for a representative of a creative profession or a mental worker to find himself in the party ranks; The CPSU monitored its national composition no less strictly. Thanks to this selection, the truly best did not always end up in the party.

From the party charter

In accordance with the Charter, all activities of the Communist Party were collegial. In primary organizations, decisions were made at general meetings, but in general the governing body was a congress held every few years. A party plenum was held approximately every six months. The Central Committee of the CPSU in the intervals between plenums and congresses was the leading unit responsible for all party activities. In turn, the highest body that led the Central Committee itself was the Politburo, headed by the General (First) Secretary.

The functional responsibilities of the Central Committee included personnel policy and local control, expenditure of the party budget and management of the activities of public structures. But not only. Together with the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, he determined all ideological activities in the country and resolved the most important political and economic issues.

It is difficult for people who have not lived to understand this. In a democratic country where a number of parties operate, their activities are of little concern to the average person - he only remembers them before elections. But in the USSR the leading role of the Communist Party was even emphasized constitutionally! In factories and collective farms, in military units and in creative groups, the party organizer was the second (and in importance often the first) leader of this structure. Formally, the Communist Party could not manage economic or political processes: for this there was a Council of Ministers. But in fact, the Communist Party decided everything. No one was surprised by the fact that the most important political problems and five-year plans for economic development were discussed and determined by party congresses. The Central Committee of the CPSU directed all these processes.

About the main person in the party

Theoretically, the Communist Party was a democratic entity: from the time of Lenin until the last moment, there was no unity of command in it, and there were no formal leaders. It was assumed that the secretary of the Central Committee was just a technical position, and the members of the governing body were equal. The first secretaries of the CPSU Central Committee, or rather the RCP(b), were indeed not very noticeable figures. E. Stasova, Y. Sverdlov, N. Krestinsky, V. Molotov - although their names were well-known, these people had nothing to do with practical leadership. But with the arrival of I. Stalin, the process went differently: the “father of nations” managed to crush all power under himself. A corresponding position also appeared - Secretary General. It must be said that the names of party leaders changed periodically: the General Secretaries were replaced by the First Secretaries of the CPSU Central Committee, then vice versa. With the light hand of Stalin, regardless of the title of his position, the party leader simultaneously became the main person of the state.

After the death of the leader in 1953, N. Khrushchev and L. Brezhnev held this post, then for a short period the position was occupied by Yu. Andropov and K. Chernenko. The last party leader was M. Gorbachev, who was also the only President of the USSR. The era of each of them was significant in its own way. If Stalin is considered by many to be a tyrant, then Khrushchev is usually called a voluntarist, and Brezhnev is the father of stagnation. Gorbachev went down in history as the man who first destroyed and then buried a huge state - the Soviet Union.

Conclusion

The history of the CPSU was an academic discipline compulsory for all universities in the country, and every schoolchild in the Soviet Union knew the main milestones in the development and activities of the party. Revolution, then civil war, industrialization and collectivization, victory over fascism and the post-war restoration of the country. And then virgin lands and space flights, large-scale all-Union construction projects - the history of the party was closely intertwined with the history of the state. In each case, the role of the CPSU was considered dominant, and the word “communist” was synonymous with a true patriot and simply a worthy person.

But if you read the history of the party differently, between the lines, you get a terrible thriller. Millions of repressed people, exiled peoples, camps and political murders, reprisals against undesirables, persecution of dissidents... We can say that the author of every black page of Soviet history is the CPSU Central Committee.

In the USSR they loved to quote Lenin’s words: “The party is the mind, honor and conscience of our era.” Alas! In fact, the Communist Party was neither one nor the other, nor the third. After the 1991 coup, the activities of the CPSU in Russia were banned. Is the Russian Communist Party the successor to the All-Union Party? Even experts find it difficult to explain this.