| − | The '''Politburo''' (<u>polit</u>ical <u>bur</u>eau) is the highest ruling body in Socialist entities, including the former [[USSR]]. It combines the functions of a legislature, supreme court, executive, and God under Socialist theory. In Communist China, the 7 member [[Politburo Standing Committee]] is supreme governing body making day-to-day decisions, while the regular 25 member party Politburo consists of provincial governors and other functionaries that meets irregularly. | + | The '''Politburo''' (<u>polit</u>ical <u>bur</u>eau) is the highest ruling body in Socialist entities, including the former [[USSR]]. It combines the functions of a legislature, supreme court, executive, and God under Socialist theory. In Communist China, the 7 member [[Politburo Standing Committee]] is supreme governing body making day-to-day decisions, while the regular 25 member party Politburo consists of provincial governors and other functionaries that meets irregularly. A Politburo in a [[single party state]] combines all the functions of [[government]], [[legislative]], [[executive]], and [[judicial]] with no checks and balances. Most [[socialist]] and [[communist]] parties that are tolerated in liberal democracies are governed internally by a Politburo. |
| | The name itself, Politburo, implies a [[collective]] leadership, yet by-laws have been amended at times to allow for a single-person [[dictatorship]]. [[Joseph Stalin]] was given power to appoint members to the Politburo. There is no system of [[checks and balances]], such as the [[American constitution]] provides which the [[far left]] dominated [[Democratic party]] wishes to abrogate. | | The name itself, Politburo, implies a [[collective]] leadership, yet by-laws have been amended at times to allow for a single-person [[dictatorship]]. [[Joseph Stalin]] was given power to appoint members to the Politburo. There is no system of [[checks and balances]], such as the [[American constitution]] provides which the [[far left]] dominated [[Democratic party]] wishes to abrogate. |