Cadre (politics)
In political contexts, cadre (/ˈkɑːdrə/, also UK: /ˈkɑːdər/, also US: /ˈkɑːdreɪ/) consists of persons with leadership skills within a political organization. In some socialist states, cadre is a group of people trained to carry out the goals of the Party-State and disseminate and enforce the official ideology. These groups are meant to stimulate loyalty and obedience to party rules and regulations by mobilizing citizens and encouraging collectivization. Cadres can be deployed in the field or employed in the office by the ruling party, the state, or the secret police. They are often created to break apart existing class hierarchies among citizens of the Party-State.[1] Cadres were present in a number of communist countries that enforced collectivization, including the Soviet Union and Romania. Additionally, the People's Republic of China still maintains a cadre system to this day.
Revolutionary socialist usage[edit]
For revolutionary socialists including Leninists and some anarchists, cadre is a group of committed, active, and experienced intellectuals who share political beliefs and participate in the revolutionary movements they see the most promise in. The term can also refer to a member of said group.[3]
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