Internal democratic structure of SDP and USPD
May 2026 › Forums › General discussion › Internal democratic structure of SDP and USPD
- This topic has 6 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 1 year ago by
KAZ.
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March 23, 2025 at 10:12 am #257647
DJP
ParticipantI’m trying to find some documents that outline the internal decision-making structure of the German SDP (up to the end of the Weimar period) and USPD, specifically in regard to how much influence standard members had within these organisations.
Anyone able to point me anywhere?
March 24, 2025 at 1:05 am #257651imposs1904
ParticipantHave you thought of contacting Kaz?
I know he has an especial interest in the German Revolution period of 1918/19.
March 24, 2025 at 7:47 am #257652ALB
KeymasterWould the situation have changed much since Robert Michels wrote his book on political parties, based mainly on the SPD, and the formulation of his so-called “iron law of oligarchy”? Did he write annything after the war (when he eventually joined Mussolini’s fascists) on the “socialist” parties in Germany?
March 24, 2025 at 6:55 pm #257685DJP
Participant“Would the situation have changed much since Robert Michels wrote his book on political parties, based mainly on the SPD”
Yes, there could be some relevant material in this. Will have to get a copy and look through.
In the writings of Kautsky he thinks that working-class participation in parliamentary politics would have a ‘prefigurative’ effect, to use some of today’s parlance. I just wanted to see to what extent this actually follows through to the internal structure of the SDP and USPD.
Incidentally, I’m wanting to find the same kind of information about the Canadian ‘impossibilist’ parties too.
March 31, 2025 at 11:14 am #257782ZJW
ParticipantI’m trying to find some documents that outline the internal decision-making structure of the German SDP (up to the end of the Weimar period) and USPD, specifically in regard to how much influence standard members had within these organisations.
Anyone able to point me anywhere?
If you’ve not seen it, then, to a certain extent, here, chapter starting on page 116?
(Schorske’s 1955 book ‘German Social Democracy 1905-1917’)
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This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by
ZJW.
April 3, 2025 at 7:58 am #257844DJP
Participant“If you’ve not seen it, then, to a certain extent, here, chapter starting on page 116?”
Thanks this looks interesting
April 4, 2025 at 3:26 pm #257870KAZ
Participantcheers for that ZJW (whoever you might be – it ain’t the pieman is it?) very useful.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by
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