APPARATCHIK: 1: a member of a Communist apparat2: an official blindly devoted tosuperiors or to the organization
In the context of the definition of "apparatchik" (a term English-speakers borrowed from Russian), "apparat" essentially means "party machine." An apparatchick, therefore, is a cog in the system of the Communist party. The term is not especially flattering in either language and wasn't used formally by the party itself. The negative connotation of "apparatchick" reflects the perception that some Communists were obedient drones in the great party machine. In current use, however, a peson doesn't have to be a member of the Communist party to be called an apparatchik; he or she just has to be someone who mindlessly follows orders in an organization or bureaucracy.
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