LENIN ON ORGANIZATION
cratic tendencies which are being displayed in the
ranks of our Party” (“Two Congresses,” p. 18).
Exactly how the “Rabochie Delo” is combatting
the “anti-democratic tendencies” of “Iskra” we will
see in the next chapter. For the present let us
examine a little more closely the “principle”
advanced by the economists. REverybody will agree
we suppose, that the “broad democratic principle”
implies the two following essential conditions:
firstly, complete publicity, and secondly, election to
all posts. It is ridiculous to talk of democracy
without publicity; and the publicity must not be
confined to members of the organization only. We
call the German Socialist Party a democratic organization
 because everything in it is done openly, even
the party congresses are held openly, but nobody
would call an organization which is shut off from
non-members by a veil of secrecy a democratic
organization. It will be asked, what is the sense
of advocating the “broad democratic principle” in
a secret organization when the fundamental condition
 of that principle cannot be fulfilled? “Broad
principle” is a high-sounding, but empty phrase.
But that is not all. The phrase reveals a complete
failure to understand the essential tasks of the
moment in the sphere of organization. Everybody
knows to what extent conspiracy is lacking among
the “broad” masses of our revolutionaries. We
have seen how bitterly B-v. complains of this, justly
demanding a “strict selection of members” (‘“Rabochie
 Delo,” No. 6, p. 42). And here we have

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