POLITICAL EDUCATION NOTES

 DEMOCRATIC CENTRALISM

 This is a way of practising democracy within AZAPO. All members are allowed to air their views. If there is no agreement, and it is difficult to reach a decision, then a decision is arrived at by voting. The views of the majority must then prevail.  The minority have to accept the decision, no matter how strongly they feel opposed to it. In addition they should do nothing that militates against that decision.

Since our organisation is hierarchical, the lower structures are subordinate to the higher structures. That means the lower structures may not defy, but always have to obey and carry out the decisions, including instructions, of the higher structures.

The principle extends to individual leaders and members. Members may not act in defiance of the leaders.

This is also a very difficult principle to master and practice.

COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP

This principle has long been in use in AZAPO. No individual leader may take a solo-dash decision which will bind every other leader and the organisation without due consultation, discussion and agreement. At all times those who are in leadership are expected to act in concert. No single leader may present the organisation with an intractable fait accompli.

RECALL AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

When a leader fails to perform to expectation due to wilful negligence, then that leader is liable to recall, i.e., that leader should be informed of the defect and removed from office. In other words, the term of office, as is applicable in bourgeois parliamentarian practice, where a person shall continue to serve as a member of parliament until the next elections, is not applicable in AZAPO. Active participation means a leader, and every member, shall be seen to be active in the programmes of the organisation and not only attend meetings just to listen to others' activity reports and then pronounce lofty comments on them.

Leaders have to be seen to be active.

CRITICISM AND SELF-CRITICISM

This principle implies that every comrade has an inalienable right to criticise another without malicious intent. And the one being criticised has to accept valid, just and constructive criticism, but not to accept unfounded criticism. In criticising one another, comrades should be constructive. Those justly criticised should not only nod their heads in agreement, they should strive to change and mend their ways, conduct and actions.

Self-criticism, as in criticism, is a way which one is able to see and acknowledge  one's mistakes and strive to correct them.

This is a very easy principle to understand at face value, but very difficult to apply correctly. It takes a lot of time to come to grips with.