Publication Details

Abstract

The main reason of the deformation of Marxism, described as personality cult, occurred both in the theoretical and practical field, cannot be sought simply in the errors and personal properties of the leading personalities. An explanation of this kind of the deformation of Marxism would be an only very superficial one. The reason must be looked for first of all in the conditions — however, without underestimating the personalities — which had enabled the errors and properties of leading personalities to grow and extend in such a tremendous range and to run to the utmost extreme. One of these conditions was the impossibility to exchange openly views and opinions, to exert reciprocal criticism and to criticize the views and opinions of the leading personalities. Lacking this condition it is not possible to avoid inflexibility and rigidity of thinking even in the future since leading personalities, just the same as common people, are liable to commit certain errors. However, reciprocal criticism and free exchange of opinions cannot remain merely written on paper; they are to be realized.