«Народная демократия»: рождение, развитие и реализация идеи (1935–1948 гг.)

The emergence and evolution of the concept of “people’s democracy” as a transitional system between “capitalism” and “socialism” is discussed. The idea originated from discussions in the leadership of the Communist International during the 1920s and 1930s, particularly from those that were taking place after the Nazis had come to power in 1933. As a result, a fundamental change occurred in the attitude to and the development of the “People’s Front” concept. A turningpoint was the VII Congress of the Communist International held in 1935 that defined people’s democracy as a transitional system of antifascist state. The policy of people’s democracy became a very important element of the Soviet imperialist policy at the final stage of World War II, in 1944–1945. It was used, on the one hand, to create a broad grouping of resistance forces, from Communists to nationally and democratically oriented parts of bourgeoisie, and, on the other hand, as a tool to facilitate the access of Communists to political and government power in the countries of Central and Southeastern Europe in the postwar period.