The Group was formed in March 1919 at the 8th Party Congress. It was composed mostly of Bolshevik intellectuals who criticised the leadership of the Communist Party for excessive centralisation of political power in the party, removal of local party initiative, and rigid control from above within the industry, Party and local administration. They believed that the democratic aspect of democratic centralism had been degraded. Opposed to what they viewed as a dictatorship of the Party, the Group advocated a return to dictatorship of the proletariat.