User:Cecker1200/People's democracy (Marxism–Leninism)

The origins of the idea of People's democracy can be traced back to both the idea of popular front governments, which were coalitions of anti-fascist parties, such as the one that existed in Spain as well as the anti-fascist politics of the Allies. The theory was perhaps first articulated by Bulgarian Communist Georgi Dimitrov.

The emergence of the theory of People's democracy occurred during the transition of Eastern European nations occupied by the Red Army to Socialist States. As such, scholars have argued that the emergence of the theory acted as a way for the Soviet Union to legitimize its establishment of Socialist States, as well as the method by which they would be established. For one, the Soviet Union had to justify the creation of Soviet-aligned governments to the existing, non-Communist, political movements within Eastern European countries. The theory of People's democracy allowed the Soviet Union to assuage the concerns of such movements, as People's democracies were to be governed by a coalition of Anti-fascist parties. By creating a theory which contrasted the peaceful nature by which Socialism would be established in Eastern European countries with the violent nature it was established in the Soviet Union, the USSR was able to ease fears that many in anti-fascist parties had of a Bolshevik-style revolution.

Many Scholars and Historians have argued that the theory of People's democracy grew out of a need for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to find a place within Marxist-Leninist theory for the different circumstances under which Socialism would emerge in Eastern Europe. For example, Ruth Amende Rosa stated:

"the U.S.S.R. apparently felt obliged to establish its own position of ideological "leadership" in eastern Europe and, simultaneously, to fit the concept of "people's democracy" into the body of orthodox Marxist-Leninist doctrine."

- Ruth Amende Rosa

The work of Marxian economist Eugene Varga was of particular importance to the development of the theory of People's democracy. His work entitled Changes in the Economy of Capitalism Resulting from the Second World War gave an explanation as to why newly emerging States were different from the Soviet model while still giving them their place as a transition stage facilitating the emergence of Socialism within the dominant Soviet theory of Marxism-Leninism However, in 1949, Varga recanted his ideas, and many high ranking Communists, including Dimitrov, suggested that People's democracies actually were similar to the Soviet Union This reflected the changed view within the Soviet Union that the character of the People's Democracies was identical to that of the USSR itself.

The theory of People's democracy underwent a considerable change. In its initial conception, the theory stated that the newly emerging Soviet-aligned states were totally different in character than the Soviet Union, whereas its later conception held that they were quite similar to the Soviet model. The reason for this change is debatable. While Richard F. Staar argues that the initial instance of the theory was used to conceal the true intentions of establishing a one-party dictatorship in the model of the Soviet Union, other scholars have suggested that the uncertain nature of the time when the original theory was formulated help to account for why the theory underwent change once power was consolidated.