In the terminology ofcommunist states andMarxism–Leninism, thegeneral line of the party or simply thegeneral line is the directives of the governing bodies of aparty (usually acommunist party) which define the party's politics. The term (Russian: Генеральная линия партииgeneral'naya liniya partii) was in common use by theCommunist Party of the Soviet Union (since its early days under other names) and also adopted by many other communist parties around the world. The notion is rooted in the major principle ofdemocratic centralism, which requiresunconditional obedience to collective decisions.
The term has acquired a significant notoriety in the context ofSoviet political repressions, where deviations from the general line have led to severe punishment. The introduction to a collection of documents from theStalinist era[1] says that general line statements produced by the Stalinist leadership were written with great care and exact phrasing in prescribed terminology and with established slogans.[1]
The goal was to provide a means of political and social control. Once theCentral Committee formulated a statement about the party line on a particular issue, it was republished in major newspapers, such asPravda. Disagreements with the party line were treated as a political crime:anti-Soviet agitation.[1]