apparatchik
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ap·pa·ra·tchik
(ä'pə-rä'chĭk) 
n., pl., -tchiks, or -tchi·ki (-chĭ-kē).
n., pl., -tchiks, or -tchi·ki (-chĭ-kē).
- A member of a Communist apparat.
- An unquestioningly loyal subordinate, especially of a political leader or organization.
[Russian, from apparat, apparat. See apparat.]
Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'apparatchik'
- Politicians and Activists - apparatchik: member of political organization, esp. Communist
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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Apparatchik
For other uses, see Apparatchik (disambiguation).
| Russian term | |
| Translit | apparatchik |
|---|---|
| English | functionary |
Apparatchik (Russian: аппара́тчик, Russian pronunciation: [ɐpɐˈratɕɪk] plural apparatchiki) is a Russian colloquial term for a full-time, professional functionary of the Communist Party or government; i.e., an agent of the governmental or party "apparat" (apparatus) that held any position of bureaucratic or political responsibility, with the exception of the higher ranks of management. James Billington describes one as "a man not of grand plans, but of a hundred carefully executed details."[1] It often is considered a derogatory term.[2]
Members of the "apparat" were frequently transferred between different areas of responsibility, usually with little or no actual training for their new areas of responsibility. Thus, the term apparatchik, or "agent of the apparatus" was usually the best possible description of the person's profession and occupation.[3]
Not all apparatchiks held lifelong positions. Many only entered such positions in middle age.[4]
Today this term is also used in contexts other than Soviet Union. According to Collins English Dictionary the word can mean "an official or bureaucrat in any organization". The word originated in the writings of Arthur Koestler in 1941 and originally meant "Communist agent or spy".[5]
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Contents
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See also
References
- ^ James H. Billington, Fire in the minds of men, Transaction Publishers, 1999, p. 455, ISBN 0-7658-0471-9, ISBN 978-0-7658-0471-6
- ^ Raymond Pearson, The rise and fall of the Soviet Empire, Palgrave Macmillan, p. xx, 1998, ISBN 0-312-17407-1
- ^ Roland Huntford, The new totalitarians, Chapter 7 "The Rule of the Apparatchiks," Stein and Day, 1972, p. 135, ISBN 0-8128-1408-8, ISBN 978-0-8128-1408-8.
- ^ David Stuart Lane, Cameron Ross, The transition from communism to capitalism: ruling elites from Gorbachev to Yeltsin, Palgrave Macmillan, 1999, p. 25-26, ISBN 0-312-21612-2, ISBN 978-0-312-21612-2
- ^ Apparatchik Dictionary.com
Further reading
- Zbigniew Brzezinski, Samuel P. Huntington, Political power: USA/USSR, Viking Press, 1964, p. 142, 150, 172.
External links
 |
Look up apparatchik in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- Robert Shea, Empire of the Rising Scum, essay on apparatchiks by author/journalist on BobShea.net personal web site.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Translations:
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Apparatchik
Dansk (Danish)
n. - apparatjik, medlem af det kommunistiske apparat, partipamper
Nederlands (Dutch)
apparatsjik (lid van Communistisch apparaat), ijverige politicus
Français (French)
n. - apparatchik
Deutsch (German)
n. - Apparatschik, (Mitglied des kommunistischen Apparats)
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ιστ.) μέλος ή χαφιές του Σοβιετικού Κομουνιστικού Κόμματος, μέλος του κομματικού μηχανισμού
Português (Portuguese)
n. - membro (m) (f) de um aparelho comunista, oficial (m) (f) devotado cegamente aos seus superiores, membro ativo (m) de um partido político
Español (Spanish)
n. - miembro del "aparato" comunista
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - byråkrat, partipamp
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
共产党组织的官员
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 共產黨組織的官員
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - עובד מנגנון של מפלגה קומוניסטית (מיושן), סוכן או מרגל קומוניסטי, אפארצ'יק, עסקן פוליטי נלהב, איש-מנגנון של ארגון פרטי או ציבורי
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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