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measures the process is elaborate。 The Committee issues a statement of its
case； and the party newspapers the Pravda and its affiliated organs are
deluged with its discussion。 When this discussion has had time to spread
through the country； congresses of Communists meet in the provincial
centres； and members of the Central
Committee go down to these conferences to defend the 〃theses〃 which
the Committee has issued。 These provincial congresses； exclusively
Communist； send their delegates of an All…Russian Congress。 There the
〃theses〃 of the Central Committee get altered； confirmed； or； in the case of
an obviously unpersuaded and large opposition in the party； are referred
back or in other ways shelved。 Then the delegates； even those who have
been in opposition at the congress； go back to the country pledged to
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defend the position of the majority。 This sometimes has curious results。
For example； I heard Communist Trades Unionists fiercely arguing against
certain clauses in the theses on industrial conscription at a Communist
Congress at the Kremlin； less than a week afterwards I heard these same
men defending precisely these clauses at a Trades Union Congress over
the way； they loyally abiding by the collective opinion of their fellow
Communists and subject to particularly uncomfortable heckling from
people who vociferously reminded them （since the Communist debates
had been published） that they were now defending what； a few days before；
they had vehemently attacked。
The great strength of the Communist Party is comparable to the
strength of the Jesuits； who； similarly； put themselves and their opinions at
the disposal of the body politic of their fellow members。 Until a decision
had been made； a Communist is perfectly free to do his best to prevent it
being made； to urge alterations in it； or to supply a rival decision； but
once it has been made he will support it without changing his private
opinion。 In all mixed congresses； rather than break the party discipline；
he will give his vote for it； speak in favor of it； and use against its
adversaries the very arguments that have been used against himself。 He
has his share in electing the local Communist Committee； and； indirectly；
in electing the all…powerful Central Committee of the party； and he binds
himself to do at any moment in his life exactly what these Committees
decide for him。 These Committees decide the use that is to be made of the
lives； not only of the rank and file of the party； but also of their own
members。 Even a member of the Central Committee does not escape。
He may be voted by his fellow members into leaving a job he likes and
taking up another he detests in which they think his particular talents will
better serve the party aims。 To become a member of the
Communist Party involves a kind of intellectual abdication； or； to put
it differently； a readiness at any moment to place the collective wisdom of
the party's Committee above one's individual instincts or ideas。 You may
influence its decisions； you may even get it to endorse your own； but
Lenin himself； if he were to fail on any occasion to obtain the agreement
of a majority in the Central Committee； would have to do precisely what
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the Committee should tell him。 Lenin's opinion carries great weight
because he is Lenin； but it carries less weight than that of the Central
Committee； of which he forms a nineteenth part。 On the other hand； the
opinion of Lenin and a very small group of outstanding figures is
supported by great prestige inside the Committee； and that of the
Committee is supported by overwhelming prestige among the rank and file。
The result is that this small group is nearly always sure of being able to
use the whole vote of 600；000 Communists； in the realization of its
decisions。
Now 600；000 men and women acting on the instructions of a highly
centralized directive； all the important decisions of which have been
thrashed out and re…thrashed until they have general support within the
party； 600；000 men and women prepared； not only to vote in support of
these decisions； but with a carefully fostered readiness to sacrifice their
lives for them if necessary； 600；000 men and women who are persuaded
that by their way alone is humanity to be saved； who are persuaded （to put
it as cynically and unsympathetically as possible） that the noblest death
one can die is in carrying out a decision of the Central Committee； such a
body； even in a country such as Russia； is an enormously strong
embodiment of human will； an instrument of struggle capable of working
something very like miracles。 It can be and is controlled like an army in
battle。 It can mobilize its members； 10 per cent。 of them； 50 per cent。；
the local Committees choosing them； and send them to the front when the
front is in danger； or to the railways and repair shops when it is decided
that the weakest point is that of transport。 If its only task were to fight
those organizations of loosely knit and only momentarily united interests
which are opposed to it； those jerry…built alliances of Reactionaries with
Liberals； United…Indivisible…Russians with Ukrainians； Agrarians with
Sugar…Refiners； Monarchists with Republicans； that task would long ago
have been finished。 But it has to fight something infinitely stronger
than these in fighting the economic ruin of Russia； which； if it is too strong；
too powerful to be arrested by the Communists； would make short work
of those who are without any such fanatic single…minded and perfectly
disciplined organization。
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A CONFERENCE AT