ABSTRACT
Marxists, who maintained that bureaucratic power was merely one aspect of the rule of the bourgeoisie in capitalist society, that it would diminish in a socialist society, and would eventually 'wither away' along with the state itself. Lenin, in The State and Revolution, elaborated Marx's analysis of the Paris Commune in his argument that during the transition from capitalism to socialism the power of public officials would be reduced by making them elected and subject to recall at any time, and by paying them at 'workmen's wages'. In fact, the experiences of presentday Communist societies reveal that high officials, both in the dominant party and in the state (and the two spheres are closely interrelated), are able to attain a privileged position in respect of power, prestige, and real income; in other words, to become a vital part, if not the whole, of the governing elite. Nevertheless, recent events also show that bureaucratic power is not unopposed or unrestrained even there; and it cannot be inferred from these particular experiences that Weber's assertions about the connection between all forms of socialism and bureaucracy hold true.
