Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU

the party supervisory body whose members are elected by the Central Committee (CC) to direct party work in periods between CC plenary sessions. The Politburo consists of leaders of the highest party and government bodies, the most prominent and experienced political figures. The first Politburo, headed by Lenin, was established at the Oct. 10 (23), 1917, session of the CC of the RSDLP(B) to provide the political leadership for the armed uprising. It was made a permanent body by the Eighth Party Congress (1919).

The Politburo has never included more than 15 full members and nine candidate members. It takes action on the most important political, economic, and internal party issues, many of which are prepared for discussion by the Secretariat of the CC of the CPSU. The Politburo establishes special commissions to work on particular issues. In accordance with the Rules of the CPSU adopted by the Nineteenth Party Congress (1952), the Politburo was converted into the Presidium of the CC of the CPSU. The Twenty-third Party Congress (1966), in a decree on partial changes in Rules of the CPSU, revived the name “Politburo” as one that more fully reflects the nature of the activities of the party’s highest political body.