p The administration of social processes presupposes the existence not only of the object (society and its individual links) but also of the subject of administration—the centre, which unites all the links of the administration, co-ordinates their functions and corrects them, depending on changes in the external and domestic situation. On the scale of socialist 205 society the subject of administration, the uniting centre, is the socialist state, which interacts with the complex system of mass organisations and non-state enterprises.
p Lenin placed the Marxist party, the militant vanguard of the people, without which scientific leadership of communist construction is inconceivable, at the head of this aggregate of state organs and non-state organisations. “To govern,” he said, “you need an army of steeled revolutionary Communists. We have it, and it is called the Party.” [205•* Drawing upon its knowledge of objective laws and generalising and relying on the experience of the masses, the Party directs society’s economic, political and spiritual activities. It draws up a single line in all spheres of life and conducts organisational and ideological work to implement this line. The Party fulfils its leading role through a system of organs of state power, the trade unions, the co-operatives and youth, creative and sports organisations. Of the mass organisations, Lenin attached special importance to the trade unions, regarding them as a school of economic management, administration and communism.
p The Party unites the activities of these organisations, directing them towards a single objective. Far from substituting for state and other organs, it does everything in its power to promote their initiative and secure the greatest possible democracy in their work. Through these organs it is linked up with the masses, teaches and educates them and learns from them. Together with the people, with the people’s state, the Party carries out the function of directing communist construction.
p An important role in directing social processes is played by the state apparatus with its numerous economic, planning, cultural, educational and other institutions. Constant attention, Lenin stressed, had to be given to organising and improving this apparatus. He made high demands of employees of the state apparatus. The main demands were devotion to communism, a lofty sense of responsibility to the people, a principled approach to the work, and knowledge. In order to administer, he wrote, one must know one’s job. It is impossible to administer without competence, 206 without skill in the art of administration. He demanded that employees of the state apparatus know the theory of Marxism and had special training, expert knowledge of modern methods of production, and ability. He considered that practical know-how, efficiency and organisation were the main thing in the work of the state apparatus.
p The state apparatus has to operate according to a definite system. This means that its work must consist not of casual, unrelated measures but of a profoundly reasoned out totality of strictly regulated and interconnected measures drawn up on the basis of a careful analysis of concrete conditions, the situation and the tasks confronting society as a whole and its individual links. This presupposes specialisation of the functions of each organ of administration, co-ordination among them and the exclusion of duplication and unnecessary intermediate links. Absence of co-ordination in the work of local departments is one of the great evils hindering economic development. [206•*
p Lenin paid special attention to the relationship between the administrative and scientific aspects of the work of the state apparatus. By scientific aspect we mean that organs of administration and leaders must master the foremost achievements of science and technology in the sphere under their jurisdiction, while the administrative aspect presupposes the ability to lead people, to draw and organise them for the achievement of the set goal.
p However, the significance of the administrative aspect should not be exaggerated or substituted for the scientific aspect. Every organ of administration must combine these two aspects. As regards the head of an enterprise, he must possess the ability to attract people and have sufficient scientific and technical training to organise the work and verify its fulfilment by his subordinates. The scientific aspect of administration must be considered as basic because work cannot be correctly organised without science. At the same time, it is extremely important for the head of an enterprise to be skilled as an organiser.
p Lenin could not stand the “communist” conceit of dabblers and bureaucrats and demanded that they “learn to put a value on science”, “learn to work systematically" and 207 make use of experience and practice. “The nerve of their trying, offhand, to pick holes in something it took an army of first-class specialists to produce! Isn’t it a shame to try to shrug it off with trite little jokes, and to put on airs about one’s right ’to withhold approval’?... We need more practical studies ... in place of the Tit Titych type of tactics (’I might give my approval, if I feel like it’).” [207•*
p The Leninist requirement that managerial personnel be carefully selected is of paramount importance. His criterion for promotion to administrative and executive posts was not staid age, past services, high title or connections, but devotion to socialism combined with a sober and keen mind, considerable scientific and technological knowledge, organisational talent and the ability to run large enterprises smoothly without fuss. He considered only people of this calibre fit for promotion to “responsible posts of leaders of the people’s labour, leaders of administration”. [207•**
p Administration is a sphere of subjective activity where it is not always possible immediately to take into account the constant changes in objective reality, in the object of administration and its surroundings. Organs of administration are called upon to note and rectify mistakes as quickly as possible, to bring the administration into line with the requirements of objective development. Haste, rashness and subjectivism must be avoided in the taking of decisions; in other words, organs of administration must painstakingly study practical experience, carefully, efficiently and perseveringly check what has been done and still more carefully and in a businesslike way rectify mistakes, “taking a step forward only when there is ample proof of the usefulness of a given method, system of management, proportion, selection of men, etc”. [207•***
Successful administration thus lies in the proper selection of personnel and executive control, collective leadership combined with personal responsibility, broad democracy and publicity, exacting criticism and self-criticism, and electivity and removability of officials of elective organs.