p In the period of transition from capitalism to socialism, proletarian democracy gives way to socialist democracy, which is a new and higher form of people’s government. The principal feature distinguishing the political organisation of socialism is that it extends the people’s democratic rights, turning democracy for the majority into democracy for everybody, for the entire people.
p Socialist society does not simply proclaim the rights of 180 its citizens; it ensures these rights. All citizens, regardless of origin, occupation, sex, nationality or religion, enjoy the right to work, education, rest and leisure, medical attention, and maintenance in old age arid in case of sickness or disability. The implementation of these rights is guaranteed by law and assured by the steady growth of the country’s economic might. Socialist society grants its citizens freedom of speech, of the press and of assembly, including the holding of mass meetings and demonstrations, and the right to unite in public organisations. Moreover, citizens are guaranteed inviolability of the person, the inviolability of their homes and privacy of correspondence. Women are accorded equal rights with men in all spheres of economic, government, cultural, political and other social activity. They are accorded the same rights as men to work, payment for work, education and rest and leisure. The state protects the interests of mother and child, renders material aid to mothers of large families and to unmarried mothers, and grants women a long maternity leave with full pay.
p The development of socialist society is accompanied by the extension of socialist democracy, this finding expression in the growing importance of the elective representative organs of people’s power and in the importance also of the trade unions and of youth, co-operative, cultural, educational and other organisations. The gradual evolution of state administration into public self-government has started.
p An important manifestation of this process, which mirrors the development of socialist democracy, is the extension and consolidation of the social basis of the proletarian dictatorship and the gradual crystallisation of the proletarian dictatorship into a government of workers, peasants and intellectuals.
p During the transition period the proletariat was both the ruling and the leading class. Under socialism and during the building of communism it retains its leading role in society.
p Why does the working class remain the leading force of socialist society?
p Because it works in industry, which is the basis of the entire national economy, and because its labour is founded on the leading and most developed form of socialist ownership—state, public ownership. Thanks to its glorious revolutionary traditions and its experience of bitter 181 battles against capitalism, it is the most consistent proponent of socialist ideology. Being the most numerous class, it is well organised and disciplined, and is, therefore, the foremost social force of Soviet society. Its mission of leading society is considered fulfilled only when communism is built, when all vestiges of class distinction disappear.
p The fact thai the working class plays the leading role in socialist society does not in the least belittle the part played by other social forces—the peasants and the intelligentsia. This can well be appreciated, for the working class neither has nor can have egoistical objectives or mercenary interests. Being part and parcel of the people, the working class expresses the people’s interests and pursues popular objectives.
p The heroic struggle of the working class against the exploiters and its dedicated labour in building socialism have won for it tremendous prestige and the deep respect of the entire people, and it continues to fulfil the lofty role of the most consistent and most organised champion of the people’s cause in the building of communism as well.
p No sharp distinctions exist between the proletarian dictatorship and a people’s state because they are, essentially, states of one and the same socialist type, and forms or stages of the development of the socialist state. The socialist nature of the slate does not change with the growth of the proletarian dictatorship into a state of the whole people. It only develops and improves as a result of communist construction. Its social basis—the alliance between the working class and the peasantry—grows stronger, the role of the working class is enhanced and proletarian socialist democracy blossoms forth. A people’s government is the natural continuation of broad democracy for the working people, which is inherent in the proletarian dictatorship from the very outset.
p Under socialism the government directs social processes —economic, political and cultural activities—by consistently democratic methods. Naturally, in the case of people breaking socialist laws, of anti-social elements (who are still to be found in socialist society) the state applies definite measures of compulsion. However, these measures are directed not against hostile classes but against the most backward workers, peasants and intellectuals still 182 conlaminated with survivals of the past, and should not be identified with the functions of suppressing exploiters exercised by the proletarian dictatorship. Essentially, the people’s government fulfils, develops and improves the basic functions of the proletarian dictatorship with the exception of the suppression of the exploiting classes, a function that dies away with the abolition of these classes and the victory of socialism.
p The inner-political functions of the government as an organ of administration are to organise the building of the material and technical basis of communism, reform socialist into communist relations, control the measure of labour and of consumption, raise the standard of living, maintain law and order, protect socialist property, and educate the people in the spirit of conscious discipline and a communist attitude to work.
p In foreign policy the government strengthens unity and solidarity with the socialist countries and develops fraternal co-operation with them. It fulfils its sacred internationalist duty to the world working class and the peoples of all countries by supporting the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat in the developed capitalist states in every possible way and by giving its utmost assistance to the peoples of countries that have liberated themselves from colonialism and to the peoples fighting for national liberation. It upholds peace and maintains normal relations with all countries, and, at the same time, in face of the threat of imperialist attack, it strengthens the defence capacity of its own country and of the socialist system as a whole.
p The development of socialist democracy in the U.S.S.R. was not devoid of grave difficulties and contradictions. This was linked up, in particular, with the Stalin personality cult, when democracy was restricted and socialist legality violated.
p Bourgeois ideologists and politicians attempt to prove that the very substance of socialist society gives rise to personality cults. This is at variance with the facts. Naturally, there are reasons why the personality cult becomes possible. Centralisation of the economy and of all social activities from top to bottom creates the possibility for concentrating power, and certain conditions clear the path for abusing power, which is but a step to the cult of the 183 individual. However, these conditions are not created by socialism. They are precipitated by the features of a given country’s development and by the personal qualities of the leader. Stalin’s incivility, lack of toleration for people, fickleness and other characteristics (which, incidentally, made Lenin apprehensive that if Stalin concentrated enormous power in his own hands he would be unable to use it properly) were some of the factors that led to the personality cult. Lenin gave a lot of thought to the problem of how to combine centralism with democracy, and how to prevent power from being concentrated in the hands of one person, let alone being abused. He found the solution in democratic centralism, collective leadership and public control.
p The hostile capitalist encirclement, the war against the nazi invaders and other difficulties in the building of socialism in the U.S.S.R. were another factor that gave rise to the cult of the individual.
The personality cult thus does not necessarily spring from the nature of socialism. It clashes with MarxismLeninism, with the theory of scientific communism, and the objective laws of socialist development, a feature of which is government by the people and uninterrupted development of socialist democracy. That was why at its 20th Congress the C.P.S.U. denounced the personality cult and took steps to uproot its consequences, thereby clearing the way for the further democratisation of the socialist system.
Notes