Communist Party of the Soviet Union

File:Internationale orchestral arrangement.ogg File:Bolshevik Party Anthem.mp3

Hammond Slides КПСС

Lenin in 1920 (cropped)

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R15068, Leo Dawidowitsch Trotzki

Brezhnev 1973

Communist Party of the Soviet Union Коммунистическая партия Советского Союза
File:Communist Party of the Soviet Union logo.svg
General Secretary	Vladimir Lenin (first), Mikhail Gorbachev (last)
Founded	1912
Dissolved	1991
Headquarters	Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Newspaper	Pravda
Youth wing	Komsomol
Membership (1986)	19 million
Ideology	Marxism–Leninism
Political position	Far-left
International affiliation	Comintern (1919–1943), Cominform (1947–1956)
Colors	Red
Party flag
File:Flag of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.svg

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) was the founding and ruling political party of the Soviet Union. The CPSU was the sole governing party of the Soviet Union until 1990 when the Congress of People's Deputies modified Article 6 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, which had granted the CPSU a monopoly over the political system.

History

The CPSU was established in 1912 by the Bolsheviks, a faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) led by Vladimir Lenin. The party played a leading role in the October Revolution of 1917, which led to the establishment of the Soviet state.

Early Years

In its early years, the CPSU was involved in the Russian Civil War (1917–1923) and the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922. The party's policies were characterized by War Communism and later the New Economic Policy (NEP).

Stalin Era

Under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, the CPSU underwent significant changes. The party centralized power and implemented policies of rapid industrialization and collectivization. The period was marked by political repression, including the Great Purge.

Post-Stalin Era

After Stalin's death in 1953, the CPSU experienced a period of de-Stalinization under Nikita Khrushchev. This era saw the denunciation of Stalin's cult of personality and some liberalization of the political system.

Brezhnev Era

The leadership of Leonid Brezhnev (1964–1982) is often referred to as the era of stagnation. The CPSU maintained strict control over the state and society, but economic growth slowed, and corruption became widespread.

Gorbachev Era and Dissolution

In the 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev introduced reforms known as Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness). These reforms aimed to modernize the Soviet economy and make the political system more transparent. However, they also led to increased political instability. The CPSU's control weakened, and the Soviet Union ultimately dissolved in 1991.

Organization

The CPSU was organized on the principle of democratic centralism, which combined central leadership with a degree of internal democracy. The highest body of the CPSU was the Party Congress, which elected the Central Committee. The Central Committee, in turn, elected the Politburo and the General Secretary, who was the de facto leader of the party and the country.

Ideology

The CPSU was committed to Marxism–Leninism, a political ideology that sought to establish a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production. The party's policies were aimed at achieving this goal through the leadership of the working class and the establishment of a planned economy.

Legacy

The CPSU played a central role in the history of the 20th century, influencing global politics through its leadership of the Soviet Union and its support for communist movements worldwide. The party's legacy is complex, marked by both significant achievements and severe repression.

Related Pages

• Soviet Union
• Vladimir Lenin
• Joseph Stalin
• Nikita Khrushchev
• Leonid Brezhnev
• Mikhail Gorbachev
• October Revolution
• Russian Civil War
• Marxism–Leninism
• Democratic centralism
• Perestroika
• Glasnost