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GCSE History · key term
The Communist Party principle that members could debate before a decision, but had to obey the leadership’s decision once it was made.
Used by AQA and Edexcel
Paper 1
Revise: Stalin the DictatorDemocratic centralism required Party members to obey decisions once they had been made. The 1921 ban on factions further restricted organised opposition within the Party. Outside it, rival parties could not freely compete for power.
Paper 3
A system in which Party members could discuss policy before a decision, but everyone had to support and implement the agreed decision afterwards.
Revise: Communist RuleDemocratic centralism combined participation within the Party with strict control from the centre. Members could discuss proposals before a decision was reached. Once the leadership settled the policy, however, all members were required to support it and put it into practice.
Democratic centralism allowed discussion before a decision, not continued opposition after it.
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