Dhalgren
08-16-2016, 10:37 AM
This is from a speech given at a Joint Plenum of C.C. and C.C.C. in April 1928
A characteristic feature of the work of this plenum,
of its debates and its resolutions, is that from beginning
to end, its key-note was the sternest self-criticism. More,
there was not a single question, not a single speech, at
the plenum which was not accompanied by criticism of
shortcomings in our work, by self-criticism of our organisations.
Criticism of our shortcomings, honest and
Bolshevik self-criticism of Party, Soviet and economic
organisations—that was the general tone of the plenum.
I know that there are people in the ranks of the Party
who have no fondness for criticism in general, and for
self-criticism in particular. Those people, whom I might call
“skin-deep” Communists (laughter), every now and
then grumble and shrug their shoulders at self-criticism,
as much as to say: Again this accursed self-criticism,
again this raking out of our shortcomings—
can’t we be allowed to live in peace? Obviously, those
“skin-deep” Communists are complete strangers to
the spirit of our Party, to the spirit of Bolshevism.
Well, in view of the existence of such sentiments among
those people who greet self-criticism with anything
but enthusiasm, it is permissible to ask: Do we need self-criticism;
where does it derive from, and what is its value?
I think, comrades, that self-criticism is as necessary
to us as air or water. I think that without it, without
self-criticism, our Party could not make any headway,
could not disclose our ulcers, could not eliminate our
shortcomings. And shortcomings we have in plenty.
That must be admitted frankly and honestly.
The slogan of self-criticism cannot be regarded as
a new one. It lies at the very foundation of the Bolshevik
Party. It lies at the foundation of the regime of
the dictatorship of the proletariat. Since our country
is a country with a dictatorship of the proletariat,
and since the dictatorship is directed by one party, the
Communist Party, which does not, and cannot, share
power with other parties, is it not clear that, if we want
to make headway, we ourselves must disclose and correct
our errors—is it not clear that there is no one else to
disclose and correct them for us? Is it not clear, comrades,
that self-criticism must be one of the most important
motive forces of our development?
The slogan of self-criticism has developed especially
powerfully since the Fifteenth Congress of our Party.
Why? Because after the Fifteenth Congress, which put
an end to the opposition, a new situation arose in the Party,
one that we have to reckon with.
In what does the novelty of this situation consist?
In the fact that now we have no opposition, or next
to none; in the fact that, because of the easy victory
over the opposition—a victory which in itself is a most
important gain for the Party—there may be a danger of
the Party resting on its laurels, beginning to take things
easy and closing its eyes to the shortcomings in our
work.The easy victory over the opposition is a most important
gain for our Party. But concealed within it is a certain
drawback, which is that the Party may be a prey to self
satisfaction, to self-admiration, and begin to rest on
its laurels. And what does resting on our laurels mean?
It means putting an end to our forward movement. And
in order that this may not occur, we need self-criticism—
not that malevolent and actually counter-revolutionary
criticism which the opposition indulged in—but honest,
frank, Bolshevik self-criticism.
The Fifteenth Congress of our Party was alive to
this, and it issued the slogan of self-criticism. Since
then the tide of self-criticism has been mounting, and
it laid its imprint also on the work of the April plenum
of the C.C. and C.C.C.
It would be strange to fear that our enemies, our
internal and external enemies, might exploit the criticism
of our shortcomings and raise the shout: Oho! All
is not well with those Bolsheviks! It would be strange
if we Bolsheviks were to fear that.The strength of
Bolshevism lies precisely in the fact that it is not afraid
to admit its mistakes. Let the Party, let the Bolsheviks,
let all the upright workers and labouring elements
in our country bring to light the shortcomings in our
work, the shortcomings in our constructive effort,
and let them indicate ways of eliminating our shortcomings,
so that there may be no stagnation, vegetation,
decay in our work and our construction, so that all
our work and all our constructive measures may improve
from day to day and go from success to success. That is
the chief thing just now. As for our enemies, let them
rant about our shortcomings—such trifles cannot and
should not disconcert Bolsheviks.
http://www.marx2mao.com/PDFs/StWorks11.pdf
BP touched upon self-criticism the other day and it made me think of this piece - and others. Self-criticism and taking positive criticism from others is one of the most difficult things to do. And it is apparently not just an American trait. It may have been this strength and discipline that was lacking from the Party after Uncle Joe's death and that led to all that followed. If so, it was a failure of education. Once the last of the "Old Bolsheviks" were passed, the next generation lost its grasp or, at least, that's how it looks.
A characteristic feature of the work of this plenum,
of its debates and its resolutions, is that from beginning
to end, its key-note was the sternest self-criticism. More,
there was not a single question, not a single speech, at
the plenum which was not accompanied by criticism of
shortcomings in our work, by self-criticism of our organisations.
Criticism of our shortcomings, honest and
Bolshevik self-criticism of Party, Soviet and economic
organisations—that was the general tone of the plenum.
I know that there are people in the ranks of the Party
who have no fondness for criticism in general, and for
self-criticism in particular. Those people, whom I might call
“skin-deep” Communists (laughter), every now and
then grumble and shrug their shoulders at self-criticism,
as much as to say: Again this accursed self-criticism,
again this raking out of our shortcomings—
can’t we be allowed to live in peace? Obviously, those
“skin-deep” Communists are complete strangers to
the spirit of our Party, to the spirit of Bolshevism.
Well, in view of the existence of such sentiments among
those people who greet self-criticism with anything
but enthusiasm, it is permissible to ask: Do we need self-criticism;
where does it derive from, and what is its value?
I think, comrades, that self-criticism is as necessary
to us as air or water. I think that without it, without
self-criticism, our Party could not make any headway,
could not disclose our ulcers, could not eliminate our
shortcomings. And shortcomings we have in plenty.
That must be admitted frankly and honestly.
The slogan of self-criticism cannot be regarded as
a new one. It lies at the very foundation of the Bolshevik
Party. It lies at the foundation of the regime of
the dictatorship of the proletariat. Since our country
is a country with a dictatorship of the proletariat,
and since the dictatorship is directed by one party, the
Communist Party, which does not, and cannot, share
power with other parties, is it not clear that, if we want
to make headway, we ourselves must disclose and correct
our errors—is it not clear that there is no one else to
disclose and correct them for us? Is it not clear, comrades,
that self-criticism must be one of the most important
motive forces of our development?
The slogan of self-criticism has developed especially
powerfully since the Fifteenth Congress of our Party.
Why? Because after the Fifteenth Congress, which put
an end to the opposition, a new situation arose in the Party,
one that we have to reckon with.
In what does the novelty of this situation consist?
In the fact that now we have no opposition, or next
to none; in the fact that, because of the easy victory
over the opposition—a victory which in itself is a most
important gain for the Party—there may be a danger of
the Party resting on its laurels, beginning to take things
easy and closing its eyes to the shortcomings in our
work.The easy victory over the opposition is a most important
gain for our Party. But concealed within it is a certain
drawback, which is that the Party may be a prey to self
satisfaction, to self-admiration, and begin to rest on
its laurels. And what does resting on our laurels mean?
It means putting an end to our forward movement. And
in order that this may not occur, we need self-criticism—
not that malevolent and actually counter-revolutionary
criticism which the opposition indulged in—but honest,
frank, Bolshevik self-criticism.
The Fifteenth Congress of our Party was alive to
this, and it issued the slogan of self-criticism. Since
then the tide of self-criticism has been mounting, and
it laid its imprint also on the work of the April plenum
of the C.C. and C.C.C.
It would be strange to fear that our enemies, our
internal and external enemies, might exploit the criticism
of our shortcomings and raise the shout: Oho! All
is not well with those Bolsheviks! It would be strange
if we Bolsheviks were to fear that.The strength of
Bolshevism lies precisely in the fact that it is not afraid
to admit its mistakes. Let the Party, let the Bolsheviks,
let all the upright workers and labouring elements
in our country bring to light the shortcomings in our
work, the shortcomings in our constructive effort,
and let them indicate ways of eliminating our shortcomings,
so that there may be no stagnation, vegetation,
decay in our work and our construction, so that all
our work and all our constructive measures may improve
from day to day and go from success to success. That is
the chief thing just now. As for our enemies, let them
rant about our shortcomings—such trifles cannot and
should not disconcert Bolsheviks.
http://www.marx2mao.com/PDFs/StWorks11.pdf
BP touched upon self-criticism the other day and it made me think of this piece - and others. Self-criticism and taking positive criticism from others is one of the most difficult things to do. And it is apparently not just an American trait. It may have been this strength and discipline that was lacking from the Party after Uncle Joe's death and that led to all that followed. If so, it was a failure of education. Once the last of the "Old Bolsheviks" were passed, the next generation lost its grasp or, at least, that's how it looks.