Constitution of the union of soviet socialist republics 1977 original post tbf. It nominally granted all manner of rights and freedoms, and spelled out a number of democratic procedures. The new constitution declares that the soviet union is a state of all the people, and that the social, economic, and political relationships in the ussr have matured into those of advanced so. The soviet constitutions have great international significance. The soviet constitutions are the basis for the legal upbringing of the working people in a spirit of patriotism, humanity, and respect for soviet laws, a feeling of love for their native land and for labor, and a spirit of friendship and fraternity among peoples. The adoption of the soviet constitution in this vulnerable period, therefore, is not coincidental, but conformed to the nations need to appease socioeconomic conflicts and to maintain resistant to future challenges. However, the move to reform the soviet union ultimately led to its breakup. Feb 20, 2020 this is the constitution and fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics as adopted at the seventh special session of the supreme council of the ussr ninth convocation on 7 october 1977. The supreme soviet of the ussr exercises all rights vested in the union of soviet socialist republics in accordance with article 14 of the constitution, in so far as they do not, by virtue of the constitution, come within the jurisdiction of organs of the ussr that are accountable to the supreme soviet of the ussr, that is, the presidium of the. Suppressed or difficult to find documents about the soviet union during both the socialist period up to the mid1950s and the revisionist period until the final collapse of the ussr in 1991.
Its fundamental principles were elaborated during the struggle of the working people for soviet power during the great october socialist revolution of 1917. Scarcely thirteen years separated the first federal constitution of the ussr, issued shortly after lenins death in january 1924, from the version that was adopted by the eighth extraordinary congress of soviets on december 5, 1936 and graced from the moment of its birth with stalins name. Today, when the democraticbourgeois cause is on the defensivethe proposed new soviet constitution brings it unexpected aid and comfort. Constitution of the russian federation adopted by referendum on.
The highest organs of state authority of the union of soviet socialist republics chapter iv. There were three versions of the constitution of the union of soviet socialist republics, modeled after the 1918 constitution established by the russian soviet federative socialist republic rsfsr, the immediate predecessor of the soviet union. But these socalled rights are indistinguishable from the guarantees in the 1936 soviet constitution, also known as the stalin constitution. Soviet committee of constitutional supervision to the russian constitutional court introduction in june 1988 the 19th party conference of the communist party of the soviet union cpsu recognized the need to develop a socialist state under the rule of law and consequently approved the introduction of a. Examine both the soviet constitution 1936 and the u. The stalin constitution seventeen moments in soviet history. The union of soviet socialist republics is a socialist, state of workers and. Soviet constitution extolled as model the new york times. Russian federations constitution of 1993 with amendments.
Stalins documents were not, however, the entire file. Nikolay bukharin, bolshevik and marxist theoretician and economist, who was a prominent leader of the communist international comintern. The people of all nationalities in china have jointly created a splendid culture and have a glorious revolutionary tradition. Legislation that contradicted this ideology was kept secret, and stalin and his successors greatly restricted foreign travel by soviet citizens to. Stalins constitution of the ussr inside the cold war.
Constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet. For aristotle, a constitution was an arrangement in regard to the. The evolution of the soviet constitution university center for. Your group will carefully read the attached excerpts from the 1936 constitution of the soviet. Constitution of 1936 how did stalin consolidate his power. The annual plan is an important element in the soviet schema for achieving longterm economic growth.
China is one of the countries with the longest histories in the world. Towe t introduction the soviet constitution guarantees many of the same fundamental rights as are guaranteed in the constitution of the united states, plus several others. Soviet constitutions article about soviet constitutions by. The council of peoples commissars of a union republic has the right to suspend decisions and orders of councils of peoples commissars of autonomous republics, and to annul decisions and orders of executive committees of soviets of working peoples deputies of territories, regions and autonomous regions.
Constitution of the union of socialist soviet republics january 1924 abridged part i declaration since the foundation of the soviet republics, the states of the world have been divided into two camps. T he declaration of rights the laboring and exploited peo ple approved by the third allrussian congress of soviets. A brief research on 1936 soviet constitution under joseph stalin. Constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics. From the time of aristotle, the term constitution was used to mean the way of government. Smith seeks to explain how and why constitutional rights to welfare be. Origins of stalins russia background geography of russia area. All soviet citizens were now equally protected by the law and entitled to the franchise, the right to hold elective office, and other privileges of soviet citizenship. Various nationalities in the soviet union began to call for their freedom. The soviet constitutions of 1936 and 1977 defined a wide range of social rights. Having become a revolutionary while studying economics, bukharin joined the russian socialdemocratic. The capital of the union of soviet socialist republics is the city of moscow. Your group will carefully read the attached excerpts from the 1936 constitution of the soviet union.
The 1936 constitution of the soviet union, also known as the stalin constitution, was the constitution of the soviet union adopted on 5 december 1936 the 1936 constitution was the second constitution of the soviet union and replaced the 1924 constitution by the congress of soviets, with 5 december being celebrated annually as soviet constitution day from its adoption. The lithuanian soviet socialist republic the latvian soviet socialist republic the estonian soviet socialist republic. Constitution of the soviet union 1977, unamended wikisource. In 1936 he promulgated a new constitution and proclaimed a new ideology, portraying soviet law as a just system that would bring about an orderly transformation of society to a communist utopia. Historian samantha lomb on the stalin constitution and.
Perspectives on federalism in the various constitutions 46 the term constitution refers both to the institutions, practices and principles that define and structure a system of government, to the written document that establishes. The collapse of the soviet union springfield public schools. More than 100 ethnic groups lived in the soviet union. Pdf upon its adoption in december 1936, soviet leaders hailed the new so called stalin constitution as the most democratic in the world. The soviet socialist constitution by soviet union abebooks.
Constitution fundamenta law l of the union of soviet socialist republics adopted at the extraordinary eight congresh of soviets s of th u. What you willl hae learnt as being the congess of the soiets became the supreme soviet split into the soviet of the union and soviet of the nationalities. They also identified a series of economic and social rights. For each economic statement below, cite the article or clause from each constitution that applies to that statement in the appropriate box. I spent three weeks of a college course on the soviet constitution 30 yrs ago. Excerpts from the constitution of the union of soviet socialist republics 1936 directions. The russian constitution constitution fundamental law the russian socialist feder, ated soviet republic resolution of the 5th allrussian congress of soviets, adopted on july 10, 1918. Stalins great purge effects on the red army 1936 1938. There are no documents in the archival record to contradict the soviet. Create a book download as pdf download as epub download as mobi choose format. The authors of 3 decrees and constitution of soviet russia, new york.
Yet the soviet union was a dictatorship, and even in the 1970s internal and external critics alike denied the existence of any form of rights there. At its extraordinary session of 12 april 1978, the supreme soviet of the russian sfsr adopted a new republican constitution, to replace the old russian constitution of 1937, including its subsequent amendments. Pdf upon its adoption in december 1936, soviet leaders hailed the new socalled stalin constitution as the most democratic in the world. The jurisdiction of the union of soviet socialist republics, as represented by its highest organs of state authority and organs of government, covers. The constitution of the republic of cuba, 1976 as amended. Stalin constitution seventeen moments in soviet history. After all, the soviet constitution of 1936 was adopted on the eve of the great terror. Adopted at the seventh special session of the supreme soviet of the u. Bernie sanders economic bill of rights taken nearly verbatim from stalins 1936 soviet constitution. Russian federations constitution of 1993 with amendments through 2008. A brief research on 1936 soviet constitution under joseph. Rightwing expansionism in the 1930s exemplified by the japanese invasion of manchuria, the italian invasion of ethiopia, and hitlers rise in germany prompted joseph stalin, leader of the soviet union, to seek better relations with the western democracies. The document in question promised broad civil liberties and economic guarantees to all soviet citizens.
The stalin constitution 1 soviet union international. The new constitution declares that the soviet union is. The 1924 soviet constitution with additional articles on trade unions and social insurance in russia hx15. C1936 constitution of the ussr, part iv bucknell university. Notable participants among others were andrei vyshinsky, andrei zhdanov, maksim litvinov, kilment voroshilov, vyacheslav molotov, lazar kaganovich, nikolai bukharin, and karl. Suppressed or hard to find documents about the ussr. Stanford libraries official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more. Sidney and beatrice webb, 1937 many who lauded stalins soviet union as the most democratic country on earth lived to regret their words. Constitution of the union of soviet socialist republics 1977. The 1936 soviet constitution, adopted on 5 december 1936 and also known as the stalin constitution, redesigned the government of the soviet union.
The soviet constitution of 1936, also known as the stalin constitution, was approved by the eighth congress of soviets and became law on december 5, 1936. Forward a link to this web page to your clergy, family, friends and relatives. In practice, by asserting the leading role of the communist party, it cemented the complete control of the party and its leader, joseph stalin. It is clear that tested by the constitution of the soviet union as revised and enacted in 1936, the ussr is the most inclusive and equalised democracy in the world. Soviet participatory politics and the discussion of the 1936 draft constitution samantha lomb upon its adoption in december 1936, soviet leaders hailed the new socalled stalin constitution as the most democratic in the world. However, nonrussians formed a majority in the 14 soviet republics other than russia. The 1936 constitution of the soviet union, also known as the stalin constitution, was the. High school briefing file as for the enemies of freedom. Though few articles of the 1977 soviet constitution have been imported into chinas present 1982 constitution, chinas constitution is still influenced by the soviet model of constitution in many aspects related to the political and legal reform in the postmao era. Bernie sanders economic bill of rights taken nearly. The constitution was the product of a commission appointed by the seventh allunion congress of soviets in february 1935. Media in category constitutions of the soviet union the following 37 files are in this category, out of 37 total. The rsfsr constitution of 1918 was the first soviet constitution.
The declaration of rights of the labouring and exploited people approved by the third allrussian congress of soviets in january 1918, together with the constitution of the soviet republic, approved by the fifth congress, constitutes a single fundamental law of the russian socialist federated soviet republic. This constitution marked their formal federation into one union. Stalins constitution victims of communism memorial. Constitution chapter i political, social and economic foundations of the state article 1 cuba is a socialist state of workers, independent and sovereign, organized with all and for the good of all, as a united, democratic republic, for the enjoyment of political freedom, social justice, individual and collective welfare, and human solidarity. Communism history and conspiracy ultimate collection. Media in category documents of the soviet union the following 200 files are in this category, out of 222 total. If there is no article or clause that applies, leave the box blank. The soviets of working peoples deputies, which grew and attained strength as a result of the overthrow of the landlords and capitalists and the achievement of the dictatorship of. Provisions of the constitution of 1936 were amended to the point of saturation. The constitution of the russian soviet federative socialist republic of 12 april 1978 was formally its supreme law history. Constitutions, soviet article about constitutions, soviet. Theories and realities of modern soviet constitutional law. Speaking freely in the soviet unions autocratic government. Constitutions, soviet in the ussr, documents that define the principles of the socialist social and state structure of the ussr and of the union and autonomous republics, the system of soviet state bodies and the principles of their organization and activity, and the basic rights and duties of soviet citizens and the material and legal guarantees for.
Constitutions of the soviet union wikimedia commons. The union of soviet socialist republics is a socialist state of workers and peasants. Constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics with ammendments and additions adopted by the first, second, third, sixth, seventh and eighth sessions of the supreme soviet of the u. Soviet constitutions declared certain political rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion.
The russian constitution of 1906 refers to a major revision of the 1832 fundamental laws of the russian empire, which transformed the formerly absolutist state into one in which the emperor agreed for the first time to share his autocratic power with a parliament. T he declaration of rights the laboring and exploited peo ple approved by the. Nikolay bukharin soviet political leader britannica. Constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist.
Summary, comparison, and analysis of the russian constitutions of 1918, 1924, and 1936 i wanted to share a quick summary and comparison of the first three constitutions adopted by the russian soviet governments following the historic revolution of october 1917. The soviets of working peoples deputies, which grew and attained strength as a result of the overthrow of the landlords and capitalists and the achievement of the. This article is based on archival files from the late 1930s in the tsentral nyi. Unioe onf sovie socialistrepublict is a federates d state, forme odn th basie osf th voluntare associatioy of sovien socialist t republics possessin equag rightsl namely. Stalins constitution guaranteed the people the right to work, the right to rest and leisure no overtime, maintenance in old age social security, right to education, economic equality, right to form unions, right to privacy, freedom of religion, freedom of. The differences between soviet and western constitutions, however, overshadow the similarities. Constitution of the ussr 1977 constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics adopted at the seventh special session of the supreme soviet of the ussr, ninth convocation, on october 7, 1977 novosti press agency publishing house moscow, 1985 constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics the great october socialist revolution, made by the. This constitution, then, is lenins, and trotskys too. A model of soviet type economic planning by michael manove each year, planning agencies in the soviet union construct an annual eco nomic plan for the calendar year that fol lows. This article is based on archival files from the late 1930s in the tsentralnyi. It was written by a commission that consisted of 31 men. This constitution remained in force until 1977 when leonid brezhnev based his new brezhnev constitution on the 1936 document.
Constitution of the peoples republic of china adopted on december 4, 1982 preamble. Historian samantha lomb on the stalin constitution and soviet democracy. The 1936 soviet constitution, adopted on the 5th of december 1936, redesigned the government in the soviet union. Government of the soviet union, translated by novosti press agency. By the time of the 1924 constitution, there were four soviet socialist republics.
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