p Having learned that each object represents a unity of content and form, let us now examine how content and form are interconnected, how they interact in the process of the development of objects.

p Content is very active. By virtue of its intrinsic contradictions it constantly develops, moves. Then, with the change in the content, the form also changes. Content determines form.

p Let us trace, for example, the development of social production. It always begins with the content—the productive forces. In an effort to produce as much material wealth as possible, people constantly improve the instruments of production and increase their own skill. This inevitably leads to a change in the form of social production—the relations of production.

p In nature, too, content determines form. From biology we know that a change in the conditions of existence of a living organism is followed at first by a change in its functions (the intrinsic type of metabolism and other processes which make up the content of life), by the appearance of new protein substances, etc. Only then, on the basis of the change in content, does the form—the organisation or structure of the organism—change as well. If, for example, a plant is transferred from a humid to a dry climate, its metabolism changes. This change will proceed in such a way as to enable the plant to obtain more and lose less moisture in the new conditions. The structure of the organism will change correspondingly: its roots will penetrate deeper into the soil, drawing additional moisture; the leaves will become narrower so that less moisture will be evaporated.

p Although form is the product of content, it does not remain passive in relation to it. It actively influences content, facilitates or retards its development. A new form, corresponding to the content, promotes the latter’s development. An old form, not corresponding to the content, however, retards its development. If we take as an example social production again, we shall find that its form, relations of production, not only depends on the content, but itself plays an active part in its development. Progressive, socialist relations of production, for example, ensure exceptionally high growth rates of industrial and agricultural output and an advance of the entire socialist economy. But production relations of contemporary capitalism restrain, hamper the development of productive forces, and at times result in their stagnation and even destruction.

p It follows, therefore, that the role and significance of 130 form in development must not be underestimated. Yet we have learned from the history of the CPSU that the opponents of Marxism, the opportunists, in their efforts to prevent the establishment of a revolutionary party of the new type denied the role played by the party’s organisational forms, declaring that the form was passive, inert and had no influence at all on the content of the revolutionary struggle.

p Lenin overturned the opportunists and disclosed the enormous significance of organisational forms in the party’s entire activity. In his work One Step Forward, Two Steps Back he formulated the party’s organisational principles which were translated into life by the party of the new type which he founded. The perfect organisational form of the Communist Party which is based on the principle of democratic centralism, enabled it successfully to guide the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat and the building of socialism, and today successfully direct communist construction.

p In analysing the interaction of form and content we should also bear in mind that, depending on the conditions, one and the same content can develop in different forms.

p The international communist movement knows from experience that the dictatorship of the proletariat, which makes up the content of the transition period from capitalism to socialism, is possible in more than one form. In the USSR the dictatorship of the proletariat has the form of the Soviets of People’s Deputies and in other countri of the world socialist system, the form of People’s Democracy. It is possible that the future may produce new forms of the dictatorship of the proletariat.

The diversity of forms reinforces the content, makes it richer and more varied, enables it to develop in the most different conditions. That is why in revolutionary struggle and communist construction it is so important to be able to choose the forms which best of all suit the concrete historical conditions.