Democratic centralismThe CPC's organizational principle is democratic centralism, which is based on two principles; democracy (synonymous in official discourse with "socialist democracy" and "inner-party democracy") and centralism.[45] This has been the guiding organizational principle of the party since the 5th National Congress, held in 1927.[45] In the words of the party constitution, "The Party is an integral body organized under its program and constitution and on the basis of democratic centralism".[45] Mao once quipped that democratic centralism was "at once democratic and centralized, with the two seeming opposites of democracy and centralization united in a definite form." Mao claimed that the superiority of democratic centralism laid in its internal contradictions, between democracy and centralism, and freedom and discipline.[45] Currently, the CPC is claiming that "democracy is the lifeline of the Party, the lifeline of socialism".[45] But for democracy to be implemented, and functioning properly, there needs to be centralization.[45] Democracy in any form, the CPC claims, needs centralism, since without centralism there will be no order.[45] According to Mao, democratic centralism "is centralized on the basis of democracy and democratic under centralized guidance. This is the only system that can give full expression to democracy with full powers vested in the people’s congresses at all levels and, at the same time, guarantee centralized administration with the governments at each level exercising centralized management of all the affairs entrusted to them by the people’s congresses at the corresponding level and safeguarding whatever is essential to the democratic life of the people".