ne several modifications, with more significant revisions being
made in 1955, 1965, 1967, and 1969.

All organs of the party are closely interrelated and operate on the
principle of democratic centralism. Derived from the Communist Party of
the Soviet Union, the concept of democratic centralism provides for the
election of party bodies at all levels but requires a firm hierarchical
subordination of each party organ to the next higher unit. In practice,
this means that party programs and policies are directed from a single
center and that decisions of higher organs are unconditionally binding
on all lower organs as well as on individual members. The statutes call
for the free and open discussion of policy questions at congresses,
conferences, local membership meetings, and in the party press; however,
discipline requires that once a decision is made the minority fully
submits to decisions of the majority.

According to the party statutes, the supreme organ of the PCR is the
party congress consisting of delegates elected by the county (_judet_)
conferences on the basis of one delegate for every 1,000 party members.
As revised in 1969, the statutes call for the convening of a party
congress every five years. Duties of the congress include the election
of the PCR general secretary, election of the Central Committee and the
Central Auditing Commission, and the discussion and adoption of programs
and policies proposed by the central organs of the party.

Between congresses the leading party organ is the Central Committee.
Consisting of 165 full members and 120 alternate members, the Central
Committee is responsible for the overall direction of all party
activities and the implementation of policies established by the party
congress. In addition, the Central Committee screens nominations for the
more important party and state positions. Party statutes require a
plenary session of the Central Committee at least four times a year (see
fig. 9).

[Illustration: _Figure 9. Organization of the Romanian Communist
Party, 1972._]

After its election by the party congress, the Central Committee in turn
elects, from among its own number, the members of the leading party
bodies: the Standing Presidium, the Executive Committee, and the
Secretariat. The election is largely a formality, however, for in
practice the Standing Presidium is the primary center of political power
and is a self-perpetuating body. Any change in its membersh