Preparing for Systemic Political Reforms: between the 27th Party Congress and the 19th Party Conference

The period between the 27th Party Congress and the 19th Party Conference could at best be characterised as the preparatory stage for meaningful political reforms. The reforms were implemented through existing channels and traditional methods and therefore the systemic intrangisence effectively thwarted them. “Socialist pluralism” and glasnost were accepted as the vital kernel of these reforms accelerated further at the 19th Party Conference. The economic reforms were opposed and the political reforms remained ineffective. The 19th Party Conference unveiled a comprehensive programme of political reforms with far-reaching effects, and at the same time intensified resistance to the reforms. The Central Committee worked mainly through the resolutions issued in its authority within the policy framework laid down by the Party Congress or a plenum. The practice of holding conferences at the Central Committee which monitored the implementation of resolutions was undertaken because of the existing administrative system of working.