The Democratic Principle

by Amadeo Bordiga, International Communist Party

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Essays

Paperback

First published February 1, 1922

About the author

Amadeo Bordiga was an Italian Marxist, a contributor to Communist theory, the founder of the Communist Party of Italy, a leader of the Communist International and, after World War II, leading figure of the International Communist Party.

Reviews

[Nathan Levin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite what people say, this text is not anti-democratic. It is a text that states that the democratic principle is rather useless, but the use of democracy in organisations is not. It is not an ideal but rather something to be used to decide on something. Bourgeois democracy is useless to the proletariat and is not beneficial to us in any significant way, as it deprives us of any form of influence.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning introduction to Bordiga. democracy is a concept that has been ingrained in most of society from birth. What Bordiga proposes is that democracy is needed, but the democratic principle is not. There is no democracy while inequality exists, because in a class based society it is inevitable that there will be inequality. Bordiga brilliantly surmises that this is not democracy, but bourgeois democracy, or the democratic principle, and there is no need for bourgeois democracy in proletarian efforts. There is, however a need for democracy, proletarian democracy, but it must be organic and not forced through elections based on inequality. Brilliant work.

[CivilWar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic critique of democracy from the Communist Left, which explains that democracy is the form of organization of bourgeois society and that it really has no intrinsic value whatsoever for any real Marxist.

[Jordi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un pequeño texto que describe primeramente de forma escueta la evolución de los sistemas "democráticos" a lo largo de la historia y como se artícula el voto y el sentimiento de la libre elección electoral. Seguidamente Bordiga reflexiona sobre si este principio democrático seguirá vigente durante la dictadura del proletariado, sus deficiencias y la necesidad de que la toma de decisiones surja orgánicamente durante la revolución para que en primera instancia la toma del poder sea cuestión del partido

[Orion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trvthnvke from mister lasagna, absolute dunk on bourgeois democracy being a Marxist principle

[Yuseff Al-Stalinaba Hussein · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It is not a question of what this or that proletarian, or even the whole proletariat, at the moment regards as its aim. It is a question of what the proletariat is, and what, in accordance with this being, it will historically be compelled to do." - Karl Marx

Really challenged my conception of what democracy even is. If we see democracy as a ideology and an organ of the capitalist state, we see it as a way to, instead of mediating it into concrete proletariat action, displace class angst into the dead end of bourgeois parliamentary politics. The obvious rot of capitalist democracy is even obvious to most liberals. Bordiga states the obvious, a free and democratic capitalist society is prone to rigging and manipulation by the bourgeois; they use their dictatorial class power to sway elections in their favor through their many levers of power.

To explain my quotation of Marx: Marx wasn’t interested in what the proletariat wants, because often what the proletariat wants is money and or power, he was interested in what’s best for the proletariat. Which is to stop the current dynamic of alienated labor power being exploited for surplus value. Bordiga puts it more bluntly, who gives a shit about the “majority opinion” amongst the proletariat? If the proletariat decides that the law of value should remain, then they are wrong. Capitalism has crippled humanity and they have to be taught how to think and act in a truly free manner.

He merely introduces “organic centralism”, a party structure of his creation. How does that actually work? And how does that square with the humanist idea of more individualized, spontaneous organization? On this question, I’m currently stumped.

[KV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Among the best of Bordiga's writings that I've read. I would go so far as to say that the Marxist angle of being pro-democracy (process) but anti-democracy (principle/ideology) is correct fundamentally. That said, my usual issues with Bordiga's writing style are here again, meaning that points that could be (and often are) rather insightful and even profound can be muddied and obscured for reasons unknown.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A critique of the idea of "democracy" and the "democratic mechanism" from a Left Communist perspective. Very interesting points.

[Edvin Kerikorian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Demokrati er viktig ass

[liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

BANGER

[Solal · Rating 4 out of 5]

bordiged

[Felix Feliks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das revolutionäre Ende jeglicher Demokratie.