Marxist theories of the political party

Abstract

This thesis is a critical analysis of the theories of leading Marxists - Marx, Lenin, Luxemburg, Lukács, Gramsci, Stalin, and Trotsky - on the role, organisation and strategy of the Marxist party. The central theme is the way in which theorists have conceived the relationship between the party and the working class. Should the party be a broad organisation embracing all tendencies in the workers' movement or should it be a narrow elite acting on behalf of the masses, or is a third alternative possible? The thesis begins by situating the role of the party in Marx's theory of class struggle and shows how Marx, reacting against conspiratorial and utopian forms of organisation, favoured a broad, non-sectarian party. It then traces Lenin's development in opposition to 'economism' and reformism of the concept of the disciplined vanguard party, and discusses Luxemburg's objections to this and her emphasis on mass spontaneity. Lukács' Hegelian conception of class consciousness is shown to lead to an elitist and idealised view of the party. In contrast Gramsci's theory of 'hegemony' is seen as adding new dimensions to the Leninist theory of the party. This is followed by an analysis of the conflict between Stalin and Trotsky, in which Stalin is seen as evolving a thoroughly manipulative view of the party whereas Trotsky defended the original aspirations of Leninism. The thesis concludes with an examination of the principal objections to the Marxist party - Michels' 'iron law of oligarchy', and view that Leninism leads to Stalinism and an evaluation of the relevance of the Marxist theory of the party today.

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