[Marxism] 100, 000 progressive Australians provide the push to sink the Howardgovernment

[Alan Bradley]

From: "Joaquin Bustelo" 
> I know this may sound like a "troll" question but
> I assure you it isn't; I'd really like to understand
> better how the DSP understands and applies
> democratic centralism.

In practice, basic common sense tends to trump formal
rules.

Ambrose pretty much summed things up in his post:
http://www.marxmail.org/msg35116.html
---
DSP members disagree in public in various forums, over
various things.  I can think of examples too - not on
marxmail but on the greenleft_discussion and swp_usa
lists.  Generally speaking this public disagreement
will not extend to campaigns of attack on the
party's adopted positions on what it is currently
trying to achieve.
Is this a surprise?
---

Basically, we do have formal rules, but there is a
wide degree of latitude in practice.

Of course, there is always the danger of that latitude
suddenly being restricted, and breaches of the formal
rules being used to toss people out! That, I think, is
one of the reasons why the present minority have been
very circumspect in publicly explaining their
differences with the majority. I regard this as a
shame.

The current proposal to make our internal discussion
bulletin public would, in practice, serve as something
of a safeguard against such abuses.

The minority appears to oppose this measure.

In many ways the DSP operates on the assumption that
its members and leaders are responsible and reasonable
adults. 

You should be ashamed of your cynicism. :)

Alan Bradley


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