p Under socialism, as under communism, the development of society and the freedom of the individual are interrelated. While being the foundation of the individual’s freedom, social development largely depends on man, on the extent of his freedom. A free individual is responsible to society, and the suppression of this sense of responsibility is one of the main causes for many shortcomings and drawbacks. Nothing is more harmful than irresponsibility, the preaching that man is only a cog in the huge machine of society, that little depends upon him and perhaps everything will come right in the end.

p Insufficient demands of man by the Party, the state, society and the individual himself give rise to irresponsibility. It is highly important that people should, feel responsible for the work assigned to them, for the people they work with and for their friends, for their country, for the purity of the air we breathe and for the clarity of the sky above us.

p It should never be forgotten that even in the freest of societies, freedom of the individual is not absolute but relative. Man’s thinking and actions are determined by his social surroundings. The very fact that man adheres to a certain way of thinking depends considerably on the immediate surroundings in which he lives, and on himself. Man is an active being and to a large extent his thoughts and feelings depend on how he perceives the world and on his attitude to his surroundings, to society. No matter how free an individual is, he is responsible for his actions; his actions must be dictated not by his whims but by the interests of society. However, responsibility does not in any way infringe upon the freedom of the individual, because under socialism and communism the interests of society and of the individual essentially coincide.

p Society’s advance towards communism brings increasing 335 freedom to the individual and this draws him into greater participation in social affairs and enhances the responsibility borne by him.

p Soviet people are building the most organised society in the world, but organisation does not arise of itself. It is the result of the efforts of the Party, the government and the people themselves. The Communist Party, therefore, attaches tremendous importance to imbuing Soviet people with a lofty sense of responsibility for their work. This means cultivating the striving to work better, to safeguard public wealth, to contribute to the success of one’s factory, office or collective or state farm. This cultivates respect for the noble and humane laws of Soviet society and for the principles of socialist democracy. This means fostering intolerance of those who shirk their duty to their country and sully the honour and dignity of Soviet citizens.

The sense of responsibility is heightened by strict observance of the Leninist standards of social and state activity, the further extension and improvement of socialist democracy and the drawing of more and more people into the administration of public affairs. In socialist society the sense of responsibility is cultivated by the entire system of state and mass organisations and presupposes not only moral approval or condemnation of people’s behaviour but also legal compulsion. In communist society, when the summit of the freedom of the individual is attained, man will act with a sense of responsibility without compulsion. He will be guided by inner conviction. In that society law as a factor ensuring public order will wither away and the standards of communist morality will be the guide in the fulfilment of civic duties. The highest stage of the individual’s moral freedom will thus be reached. Man will thus learn to be his own master and the master of his own behaviour.