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East Germany Organization and Structure
The SED is hierarchically organized in the manner of the CPSU
(see
fig. 9). Party organizations are organized territorially
into local, district (Bezirk), regional (Kreis),
and national bodies. Like the CPSU, the SED operates on the
Leninist principles of democratic centralism, party-mindedness,
and criticism, all of which are binding on the membership of the
party. In principle, democratic centralism requires full
discussion of party programs by lower units and the adherence of
lower party bodies to decisions taken by higher party bodies.
Party-mindedness denotes the concepts of "party spirit" and
"party consciousness," which demand the loyal commitment of every
party member to the party program. Criticism and self-criticism
require members to recognize their own shortcomings and to remain
willing to discuss ways to overcome their faults in open party
meetings.
The SED is a mass political organization. In 1986 the SED had
approximately 2.3 million members and candidates (nonvoting
members); in other words, one of every six citizens over the age
of eighteen belonged to the party. Furthermore, the social
composition of the party reflected the leadership's efforts to
ensure that the proportional representation of various social
groups roughly corresponded to the social structure of the
society as a whole. In 1986 that breakdown was as follows: 58.1
percent of the members were workers; 4.8 percent were farmers and
peasants; 22.4 percent were members of the intelligentsia; and
14.8 percent were other workers. Males constituted some 66
percent of the SED's membership
(see The Political Elite
, ch. 2).
The educational level of the SED has risen considerably since
1949. By the late 1970s, every third graduate of a university or
technical college was a member of the party. Within the SED,
slightly fewer than one-third of its members possessed a degree
from a university or a technical college. Furthermore, every
secretary of the district or county leadership had a degree from
one of the higher educational institutions. In May 1984, the
Politburo stated that 72.6 percent of the leading cadres had
graduated from high school, and 52.4 percent had a diploma from a
university or a technical college. Entrance to a university or a
technical college, however, is made considerably easier by
membership in the SED. Conversely, professional mobility within
the party apparatus, as well as within the state apparatus, is
still increasingly dependent on the ability of members to acquire
advanced degrees.
Data as of July 1987
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