How do Communists select a leader?

[Zak]

A question I have been wondering about Communism for a long time is how is a leader of a communist government to be selected? What did Marx say about this? I know of no country that has attained democratic communism, however there are several socialist countries with Communist representatives. In a communist dictatorship how is power to be transferred? If it is each according to his ability, naturally the most able to lead should assume the burden, for as Socrates pointed out in a society of good men it is indeed a burden. What party then selects the most able person to lead? How are they selected and to be trusted with this important task?

Thank you for any help in answering these questions.

[Dr Mindbender]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2006, 05:25 PM
A question I have been wondering about Communism for a long time is how is a leader of a communist government to be selected? What did Marx say about this? I know of no country that has attained democratic communism, however there are several socialist countries with Communist representatives. In a communist dictatorship how is power to be transferred? If it is each according to his ability, naturally the most able to lead should assume the burden, for as Socrates pointed out in a society of good men it is indeed a burden. What party then selects the most able person to lead? How are they selected and to be trusted with this important task?

Thank you for any help in answering these questions.
I was under the impression that the 'leadership' entity comprises a council of cental commitee members that are democratically elected within the party.
Obviously, this cannot happen unless a revolution takes place first of all.

[loveme4whoiam]

As far as I understand it, through pure democracy. There are no "set" leaders of any group, on a regional, national, or even global scale. Whenever there is an issue that requires an answer that effects people, the people elect a delegate to voice their opinion in a committee. Notice that they are delegates, not representatives. Delegates can only give the opinion of other people, like diplomates in talks with other countries; representatives are elected on the basis of their own opinions, and can change them at any time, like "democracy" now.

In this way there are no complete leaders, at any level. The person who is best able to express an opinion on something would probably be the one chosen to do so, if the issue is one that that person has no knowledge of, then someone else would be chosen. This ensures democracy occurs, and cannot be corrupted by any person who is out for themselves.

Of course, this may not have been the way Marx explained it, I don't know :marx:

[GoaRedStar]

There are no leaders in a communist society

Communism is a stateless,classless,propertyles and moneyless society

[Dr Mindbender]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2006, 05:59 PM
There are no leaders in a communist society

Communism is a stateless,classless,propertyles and moneyless society
You need to be careful with that 'propertyless' statement. That could be misinterpretated as meaning none of us will have homes or posessions.
When marx meant property he meant the property of the Beorgeoius in the sense that they posess the factories.

[GoaRedStar]

Iam talking as in private property or property that produces anything of any value as oppess to person property

[Zak]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2006, 05:59 PM
There are no leaders in a communist society

Communism is a stateless,classless,propertyles and moneyless society
I appreciate the directness of your statment. Could you please provide where Marx says this.

[viva le revolution]

That is a good question. If you are asking how do communist parties elect their 'leaders' then the question would be more pretinent. The Communist party leadership is comprised of the central committee, whose members are elected by party members and are liable to be removed from the committee at any time.

[violencia.Proletariat]

Marx hailed the Paris Commune of 1871 as what socialism and the dictatorship of the proletariat would be like. The communards voted on recallable representatives to make the decisions, I think there was 92 of them. These people made the communes decisions but could be recalled with a majority vote at any time.

However in communism, direct democracy would be how communes are operated.

[loveme4whoiam]

Does that mean my explanation correct? Or does direct democracy do away with delegates altogether?

[violencia.Proletariat]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2006, 06:42 PM
Does that mean my explanation correct? Or does direct democracy do away with delegates altogether?
Delegates in direct democracy do not make decisions on their own accord for what the think is in the best interest of their workplace/community.

A delegate in direct democracy would work like this. Say a certain proposal for a commune was put forth, each neighborhood would decide how the felt about it. Then they would send a delegate who would meet with the other neighborhoods delegates and vote the way his neighborhood had decided. He "represents" the neighborhood but he gives the neighborhoods EXACT feelings on the matter, not his interpretation of them.

[cbm989]

if there was a delegate from every community wouldnt that make getting legal matters solved a mess? with all of those delegates conclusions would take a long time to get to and there would be alot of confusion at meetings.

[violencia.Proletariat]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2006, 07:49 PM
if there was a delegate from every community wouldnt that make getting legal matters solved a mess? with all of those delegates conclusions would take a long time to get to and there would be alot of confusion at meetings.
Legal decisions? Criminal trials would most likely be a neighborhood scenario, not a whole communes, however the commune could participate.

With all of what delegates conclusions? The delegates already have their decision, the communities, they do not take time to debate, only to vote.

[cbm989]

ohh ok. so will there ever be bills or acts passed that set standards throguout the communities...?

[anomaly]

"will there ever be bills or acts passed...?"

Yes, certainly. Communism does not change that fact that laws exist; it changes how these laws come into being. Currently, laws are created by a small group of bourgeois representatives, and these laws, of course, serve bourgeois interests.

In communist society, I see two possible ways laws can be proposed and passed. One, in small communes, the commune as a whole could have a gethering in which ideas for laws are discussed, proposed, and voted on. However, when communes become larger, the direct democracy route becomes greatly inefficient. In these large communes, I think demarchy will work well. Those representatives will propose laws, and the commune as a whole will vote on them. And if a time comes when a law that once had majority support not longer has this, the law can be repealed with a single vote. It seems to me that demarchy ensures order within communist society, while at the same time placing ultimate power in the hands of the people.

[Zak]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2006, 11:35 PM

Delegates in direct democracy do not make decisions on their own accord for what the think is in the best interest of their workplace/community.
Thats interesting, so unlike in representative democracy, say your the delegate and 20 people from your commune like the idea and 2 don't. You give both ideas saying that one is more favored than the other by a ratio of 10:1, though not nessisarily more correct. Is this what your saying?