The main provisions of the constitution of the era of developed socialism. Communist Party of the Russian Federation Crimean Republican Branch

Adoption of the first Constitution of the USSR - 1924

Adoption of the second ("Stalinist") Constitution of the USSR - 1936

Adoption of the third ("Brezhnev") Constitution of the USSR - 1977

USSR Constitution of 1924

It was approved by the 2nd Congress of Soviets of the USSR and became the basic law in the USSR. The decision of the congress to develop an all-union document formed the basis for the creation of the Constitution of the USSR.

The USSR Constitution included 2 sections:

• The Declaration on the formation of the USSR - included the principles of unification and directed towards one of the main goals at that time - the struggle against world capitalism;
• Treaty on the formation of the USSR, consisting of 11 chapters.

The main features of the 1924 Constitution:

• The Congress of Soviets of the USSR was considered the main governing body, without whose knowledge it was impossible to make any changes to the document;
• the union republic had the right to withdraw from the USSR at any time, but change the territory only with its approval; a single union citizenship was established;
• The Central Executive Committee of the USSR was considered supreme body authorities in the intervals between congresses, and in the intervals between sessions of the CEC, the Presidium of the CEC of the USSR was the main body of legislative power;
• The Central Executive Committee of the USSR established the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, which is the main executive and administrative body, which included the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, his deputies and 10 people's commissars.

Thanks to the Constitution, the union republics became part of the federal union during the formation of the USSR.

USSR Constitution 1936

Also known as "Stalinist" and "Constitution developed socialism". It was adopted by the 8th Extraordinary Congress of the Soviet of the USSR on December 5. Her task was to express important stage in the history of the state - the building of socialism.

Historian O.V. Khlevnyuk said that this Constitution, in comparison with the USSR Constitution of 1924, is more democratic in nature, since he wants to win sympathy for the Soviet Union from the international community for a joint struggle against the growing fascism.

Bukharin also took an active part in creating the text of the Constitution. It was officially published on December 6.

The 1936 Constitution consisted of 13 chapters and 146 articles. The social structure of the USSR was approved in 12 articles of the 1st chapter. Consider the content of the Constitution:

• the basis of the economy is a planned socialist economic system and socialist ownership of tools and means of production;
• for the first time, all citizens of the Soviet state had equal rights:
  • universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot;
  • the right to work and rest, material security in old age and in case of illness, the right to free education;
• freedom of speech, conscience, press, assembly and rallies, personal inviolability and privacy of correspondence were declared;
• communications, transportation, land, water and more were announced public property; the land occupied by the collective farms was given to them for eternal use;
• the Bolshevik Party was declared the main representative of all public and state organizations;
• The Supreme Soviet of the USSR was proclaimed the highest the legislature authorities, in the intervals between sessions these functions were performed by his Presidium;
• The Council of People's Commissars of the USSR (later the Council of Ministers) was considered the highest executive body.

February 27, 1947 was approved a new version Constitutions as amended. In 1962, according to the decision of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, a commission headed by was established, which was engaged in the creation of a draft of a new Constitution of the USSR. At the end of 1964 he headed this commission.

On October 7, 1977, a new ("Brezhnev") Constitution of the USSR was adopted. December 5 was declared Constitution Day - an official state holiday.

USSR Constitution 1977

It operated from October 7, 1977 until (1991), becoming the last Constitution of the Soviet Union. At the time of its adoption, it included 9 sections, 21 chapters and 174 articles. Consider summary Constitution:

• the introductory part - contained a description of Soviet society, retained the principles of previous constitutions. Its text was much larger than the Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993;
• political system - this section included general principles the socialist system and the basis of a developed socialist society;
• the economic system - its basis was the state and collective-farm-cooperative socialist ownership of production assets, the principle of a planned economy was in effect;
• authorities - the term of government for the supreme and local Soviets has increased; from the previously adopted Constitution of the USSR, the right of a referendum remained for the citizens;
• state structure - no significant changes. The republics of the Union retained the right to the opportunity to secede from the USSR at any time, which they used during the collapse of the USSR.

During the period of this Constitution of the USSR, various changes were made to it, the most significant of which was the abolition of the 6th article. The one-party system was abolished, the CPSU was removed from leadership position, the post of the President of the USSR was introduced.

Second half of the 70s. became the time of the adoption of the next Constitution of the USSR, since it was believed that to correct the situation, it was enough to update some theoretical principles. It was supposed to replace the old Stalinist 1936, as well as to a certain extent the completely failed Program of the CPSU, adopted in 61 at the 22nd Congress of the CPSU. In the main new law, the provision on the world-historical turn of mankind from capitalism to socialism was preserved.

Determining the social nature of the state, the new Constitution stated: “A developed socialist society... At this stage, when socialism develops on its own own basis, the creative forces of the new system, the advantages of the socialist way of life are more and more fully revealed.Signs of "developed socialism" she called "a society of mature socialist social relations, in which, on the basis of the convergence of all classes and social strata, legal and actual equality of all nations and nationalities, their fraternal cooperation a new historical community of people has developed - the Soviet people. " The goal of the Soviet state was proclaimed "to build a classless communist society in which social communist self-government will develop."

The constitution did not change the political organization of society. As before, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was declared the supreme body of the state. power of the Soviet Union. In theory, the Supreme Soviet personified representative power and was a legislative body. He was elected for a term of 4 years by universal, equal and direct suffrage. A citizen of the USSR at least 23 years old could be elected as a deputy. The deputies met twice a year at a session of the Supreme Soviet. The rest of the time they had to work at their previous job.

The Supreme Soviet of the USSR was endowed with the right of supreme control over the activities of the state. apparatus. The Constitution entrusted the Supreme Soviet of the USSR with the election of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the formation of the Government of the USSR, the election of the Supreme Court of the USSR, the appointment of a general. Prosecutor of the USSR. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR could appoint investigative and revision commissions on any issue. It consisted of 2 two equal chambers - the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities.

The Supreme Council elected a Presidium, which worked between sessions and had broad powers, in fact, comparable to the rights of the Supreme Council itself.

Formally executive branch was represented by a system of ministries and departments headed by the Council of Ministers of the USSR. It was the highest executive and administrative body of the USSR. The number of union ministries and state committees was constantly increasing and reached more than 80. New ones arose as a result of the division of the old industrial ministries.

The judiciary remained largely dependent on the executive. The Ministry of Justice of the USSR, restored in 70, was supposed to lead the advocacy; the Ministry of Justice included departments common courts, military tribunals. The highest judicial body was Supreme Court THE USSR. He was entrusted with the supervision of judicial activities, he had the rights of a court of first instance and supervision of cases in cassation. The Constitution assigned the highest supervision over the observance of laws to the Prosecutor's Office of the USSR.

Thus, the Constitution stated the building of a developed socialist society and the creation of a state of the whole people, in the field of national relations the merger of all the nations and nationalities of the Soviet Union into a new historical community “the Soviet people” was declared. The building of communism was declared as the goal of the development of the state. The basis economic systems The state declared socialist ownership of the means of production, the basis of the political system - the Soviets. In the constitution, the CPSU was assigned the leading and guiding role of Soviet society. New forms of direct democracy were consolidated - popular discussion and referendum, as well as new civil rights, such as the right to appeal the actions of officials, on judicial protection from encroachments on honor and dignity. The Constitution emphasized the importance of the individual, declared respect and protection of his rights and freedoms.

The Constitution of Developed Socialism

Preserving the primacy of the ideas and principles of constitutional legislation of the past years, the Constitution of the USSR of 1977 enriched them with new provisions developed by the party in relation to the modern era. It took into account the great experience of updating and improving Soviet legislation over the past two to three decades, as well as the experience of constitutional creativity in foreign socialist countries, where new constitutions were adopted in the 70s.

The Constitution of the USSR legally enshrined both the general principles of the socialist system and the main features of a developed socialist society. It says that the USSR "is a socialist state of the whole people, expressing the will and interests of workers, peasants and intelligentsia, working people of all nations and nationalities of the country." The main principle state power in the USSR is the sovereignty of the people: the political basis of the country is made up of the Soviets people's deputies... Lenin's ideas about Soviets as organs of democracy were further developed. Their new name - the Soviets of People's Deputies - reflects the national character of the Soviet state.

With all its content, the Constitution of the USSR is aimed at the further development and deepening of socialist democracy. While maintaining the previously enshrined socio-economic and political rights(for work, recreation, education, social security, etc.), it deepened their content, expanded the range of rights and freedoms of citizens, taking into account the conditions and possibilities of mature socialism, and strengthened the guarantees for their implementation. In particular, in the constitutional order, the rights of citizens to housing and health care, to the use of cultural assets have been supplemented, freedom of scientific, technical and artistic creativity is guaranteed.

The Constitution includes provisions on the broad participation of public organizations and labor collectives in managing the affairs of society and the state, in solving political, economic and socio-cultural issues. The democratism of Soviet society is significantly expanded by the right of citizens to unite in public organizations promoting development political activity workers and the satisfaction of their diverse interests.

By guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of the individual, the Constitution for more high level raised the question of the duties of citizens: to work honestly, to protect and strengthen socialist property, to defend the socialist Fatherland, to strictly observe the Constitution of the USSR and Soviet laws, to respect the rules of socialist community, to bear with dignity high rank citizen of the USSR.

Legislatively enshrined in the Constitution the leading and guiding role of the Communist Party, which is the core of the political system of a developed socialist society.

The economic basis of the USSR is socialist ownership of the means of production, which exists in two forms: state (public) and collective-farm cooperative. The social basis of the state, as defined by the Constitution, is the inviolable union of workers, peasants and intelligentsia. the main objective social policy state is to promote the strengthening of social homogeneity of society - "the erasure of class differences, significant differences between town and country, mental and physical labor, the all-round development and rapprochement of all the nations and nationalities of the USSR. "

The Leninist principle of socialist internationalism was further developed in the Constitution of the USSR. On the present stage developed socialism rose to new step social and international unity, the monolithic nature of the Soviet people as a new historical social and international community of people. But the Soviet people are not some new nation. In his report "On the draft Constitution (Basic Law) of the USSR and the results of its nationwide discussion" L. I. Brezhnev showed the groundlessness and incorrectness of proposals to introduce into the Constitution the concept of a single Soviet nation, to liquidate union and autonomous republics or drastic limitation the sovereignty of the union republics. “The socio-political unity of the Soviet people does not at all mean the disappearance of national differences. Thanks to the consistent implementation of the Leninist nationality policy, we, having built socialism, at the same time - for the first time in history - successfully solved the national question. The friendship of the Soviet peoples is indestructible; in the process of communist construction, their rapprochement and mutual enrichment of their spiritual life are steadily taking place. But we would embark on a dangerous path if we began to artificially speed up this objective process of rapprochement of nations. Lenin persistently warned against this, and we will not retreat from his precepts. "

Fully justified principles are preserved in the new Constitution federal structure THE USSR. The principles of the national state structure fixed in it ensure a truly democratic combination of the common interests of the multinational USSR and the interests of each Union republic. Deepening guarantees of the sovereign rights of the union republics, expanding their competence, the Constitution of the USSR, in accordance with the progressing process of rapprochement of nations, indicates the need to strengthen the all-Union state. The Soviet Union is defined as "a single union multinational state ... The USSR personifies the state unity of the Soviet people, rallies all nations and nationalities in order to build communism together."

The Soviet state ensures the sovereignty of the union republics with their deep responsibility for the solution of common international tasks. "The sovereign rights of the union republics are protected The USSR", - Article 81 states.

In the 1977 Constitution, the main goals and basic principles of the USSR's foreign policy are legislatively enshrined.

In contrast to the previous one, the 1977 Constitution of the USSR put forward a number of programmatic provisions that reveal the prospects for further communist construction. The preamble to the Basic Law emphasizes that “ ultimate goal Of the Soviet state - building a classless communist society in which social communist self-government will develop. " Based on this, the main tasks of the state of the whole people are determined in the field of economy, social development, culture, education of a new person, in the spheres of foreign policy and defense of the country. The disclosure of the prospects for Soviet society in the USSR Constitution is of great inspirational value, it makes it possible to more clearly imagine the forms and paths of our movement towards communism, and gives purposefulness to the efforts of the working people in building a new society.

The new Constitution of the USSR legislatively consolidated the most important historical achievement of the Soviet people for 60 years Soviet power- building a mature socialist society. Its adoption armed the working people with a powerful tool for building communism. The new Constitution has become a powerful tool for the further development and deepening of socialist democracy.

The international significance of the Soviet Constitution is invaluable. It raised the international prestige of the Soviet Union even higher, multiplied the attractive power of the ideas of socialism, brightly revealed to the world the essence, humanism, the enormous advantages of the socialist system, socialist democracy, the peaceful nature of the USSR's foreign policy. The adoption of the new Constitution made an outstanding contribution to the great cause of building communism in our country, to the theory and international practice of building world socialism, to the struggle of the working people of the whole world for freedom, for the progress of mankind, for lasting peace on earth.

V new edition it was noted that the "dictatorship of the proletariat" fully fulfilled the tasks that were assigned to it and the Soviet Union became a state of the whole people. In addition, the document consolidated the governance that had already taken shape at that time. Supreme body power was considered the Supreme Soviet. It consisted of two chambers: the Council of Nationalities and the Council of the Union. His term of office was increased to five years.

About the year in which the Constitution of "developed socialism" was adopted, about the preconditions that contributed to its appearance, and about the changes in it, read this article.

The study of the history of the creation of the Basic Law of the USSR is of great political, socio-economic, scientific and cultural significance. One of the central aspects of becoming Russian statehood is the adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism". The year 1977 was an important milestone in further development country.

In the history of the Soviet state, there were only 4 constitutions: 1918, 1924, 1936 and 1977. They had different terms actions, which indicated some changes taking place in the life of society. In addition, they reflected the emergence of new or improvement of old concepts. Also, each updated basic law of the country summed up the actions of the previous one, after which the state opened the next stage of its development.

main reason

The development of a new document and the subsequent adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism" is associated with a significant change political regime in USSR. Despite the fact that it was still strictly organized and ruled by representatives of the only party in the country, the state began to free itself from the cult of autocracy, which was introduced in his time by J.V. Stalin.

Arbitrariness and lawlessness, as well as boundless fear that prevailed in the era of totalitarian rule by one person - all this was publicly condemned by the ruling Communist Party itself. When the steps taken in the direction of recognizing mistakes and excesses convinced society of the impossibility of returning the previous regime, the question arose that the development and subsequent adoption in the USSR of the Constitution of "developed socialism" is simply necessary.

Formation of a special commission

It was decided to start the first stage of preparing a new edition of the basic law. First of all, a special constitutional commission was created. Its formation was preceded by a report by NS Khrushchev's secretary at a meeting of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on April 25, 1962. On the same day, a meeting was held at which the composition of the commission was approved. From that moment on, the immediate development and further adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism" began (project leader - N. S. Khrushchev).

When Leonid Brezhnev took over as first secretary, he automatically took over the functions of chairman of the Constitutional Commission. I must say that its composition changed several times, but the principle of formation remained the same - it included the first persons of the state and party leadership, representatives of the union and autonomous republics, territories and regions, as well as delegates from workers and peasants, scientists, etc.

Project development

At the initial stage of writing the document, the question arose of what kind of this moment Soviet society and where it will move in the future. The position based on the "dictatorship of the proletariat" was irrelevant, because “ class struggle"As such was no longer there.

It took time to move away from the old ideology and build a fundamentally new society. Almost 15 years passed before the theory of "developed socialism" appeared. But as soon as its foundations were formed, the drafting of the Constitution began to advance much faster.

Prerequisites

From the moment when the Constitution of 1936 was adopted and until the approval of the new document, four decades have passed. During this time, a number of significant changes took place in the USSR, which in one way or another affected all aspects of social life.

The previous Constitution, adopted in 1936, proceeded from the fact that the creation was completed. Now it was positioned that a mature and developed society had already been built in the USSR, as a result of which a different community of people was formed, called the Soviet people.

The state that emerged on the basis of the "dictatorship of the proletariat" has now become a nationwide state, and the economy has completely passed into socialist ownership. Communist party has significantly expanded its ranks, and its role in government has become more responsible.

Socialism was put on a par with other world systems, so the international influence and authority of the Soviet Union increased several times. All these prerequisites indicated that the development and adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism" were inevitable.

Promulgation

The draft of the new basic law was published in early June 1977 not only in central, but also in republican, regional and regional newspapers. It was actively discussed for four months - from June 5 to the end of September. According to official data, more than 140 million people took part in the discussion of the new project. And this is about four fifths of the entire adult population of the Soviet Union. The nationwide discussion on this issue made it possible to submit about 450 thousand proposals for amendments, which were aimed at clarifying, improving or supplementing the draft articles.

Main aspects of domestic and foreign policy

The main direction in the development of the Soviet state and legal system was proclaimed to be the improvement and strengthening of socialist democracy. This should have been facilitated by the adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism". With whom could such an idea be realized? Of course, under Stalin, this was out of the question. Since the time of his sole rule, the power in the country has changed dramatically.

Also, in the new basic law, the social basis of the Soviet state was fixed - strong union workers and peasants with the intelligentsia. He meant the achievement of a certain social homogeneity of society, as well as equal opportunities for the all-round development of each person.

Regarding that, the Constitution clearly formulated the main provisions aimed at establishing peace, international cooperation and ensuring the security of all peoples without exception. Also proclaimed and progressive principles of good neighborly relations between The Soviet Union and other countries. An integral part of the world socialist system was the commonwealth of states with the same policy as the USSR.

Economy

The adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism" was supposed to contribute to a significant rise in both the cultural and material living standards of Soviet people. For this, a special scientifically based and long-term economic strategy has been developed. Main role the Soviet state played in it. It was supposed to ensure the organization of production, favorable conditions for the creation of a modern material and technical base and develop regulations that would regulate economic relations.

The developers of the new fundamental law proceeded from the assumption that the adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism" would even better consolidate the already historically established powerful, unified and successfully operating mechanism National economy... This document, for the first time in history, fixed at the legislative level the special economic system of the USSR.

Forms of ownership

The adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism", the date of approval of which was only a matter of time, put socialist ownership of all means of production, divided into two forms, at the basis of the economic system. One of them was a state-owned nationwide, and the other was a collective-farm cooperative. True, there was another type of socialist property - this is the property of trade union and other public organizations. But only the first two forms determined the nature of the national economy and the division of society into representatives of friendly classes - workers and peasants. At the same time, the main task of the state, enshrined in the new Constitution, was the protection of socialist property.

The Soviet economic system also provided for the right to personal property. Its source was socially useful labor. The 1977 Constitution laid down the basic provisions legal status all forms of ownership, without exception, with an indication of their subjects.

Rights and obligations

The new basic law guaranteed the citizens of the USSR. The Constitution enshrined the right to work, rest, education, material compensation in case of loss of a breadwinner or disability. The document also spoke about freedom of speech and press, demonstrations and street processions, rallies and meetings, etc.

It was the duty of the Soviet people to comply with the laws of the USSR, to be worthy of the title of a citizen of the USSR, as well as to work conscientiously and be disciplined at work, to protect the interests of the state and in every possible way contribute to strengthening its authority and power, etc.

Separately spoke about the sacred duty of each Soviet man- the defense of the socialist homeland. Treason to the Motherland is the gravest crime against its people. The honorary duty of a Soviet citizen was military service in the country's Armed Forces.

Adoption of the Constitution

At an extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet on October 4, an Editorial Commission was created, whose duties included the preparation of the final draft of the basic law. The meeting also discussed the adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism". Brezhnev made a presentation on the results of the development of the project and its nationwide approval. On this occasion, 92 deputies spoke. As a result, they decided to make changes on eight points, as well as add a new article.

Three days later, a parliamentary vote was held, and then the adoption of the Constitution of "developed socialism". The date of October 7, 1977 was declared a national holiday.

• The subject and method of the history of the domestic state and law
  • The subject of the history of the domestic state and law
  • The method of the history of the domestic state and law
  • Periodization of the history of the domestic state and law
• Old Russian state and law (IX - early XII century.)
  • Formation of the Old Russian state
    • Historical factors of the formation of the Old Russian state
  • The social structure of the Old Russian state
    • Feudal-dependent population: sources of education and classification
  • State system of the Old Russian state
  • The system of law in Old Russian state
    • Ownership in the Old Russian state
    • Law of Obligations in the Old Russian State
    • Marriage and family and inheritance law in the Old Russian state
    • Criminal law and trial in the Old Russian state
• State and law of Russia in the period feudal fragmentation(early XII-XIV centuries)
  • Feudal fragmentation in Russia
  • Features of the socio-political system of the Galicia-Volyn principality
  • Social and political structure of the Vladimir-Suzdal land
  • Social and political system and law of Novgorod and Pskov
  • State and law of the Golden Horde
• Formation of the Russian centralized state
  • Prerequisites for the formation of the Russian centralized state
  • Social system in the Russian centralized state
  • State system in the Russian centralized state
  • Development of law in the Russian centralized state
• Estates-representative monarchy in Russia (mid-16th - mid-17th century)
  • Social system during the period of the estate-representative monarchy
  • State system during the period of the estate-representative monarchy
    • Police and prisons in ser. XVI - mid. XVII century
  • Development of law in the period of the estate-representative monarchy
    • Civil law in the middle. XVI - mid. XVII century
    • Criminal law in the Code of 1649
    • Legal proceedings in the Code of 1649
• Formation and development of an absolute monarchy in Russia (second half of the 17th-18th centuries)
  • Historical preconditions for the emergence of an absolute monarchy in Russia
  • The social system of the period of absolute monarchy in Russia
  • State system of the period of absolute monarchy in Russia
    • Police in absolutist Russia
    • Prisons, exile and hard labor in the 17th-18th centuries
    • Reforms of the era palace coups
    • Reforms during the reign of Catherine II
  • Development of law under Peter I
    • Criminal law under Peter I
    • Civil law under Peter I
    • Family and inheritance law in the 17th-18th centuries
    • The emergence of environmental legislation
• The state and law of Russia during the period of the disintegration of the serf system and the growth of capitalist relations (first half of the 19th century)
  • The social system during the decay of the serf system
  • State system of Russia in the nineteenth century
    • State reform authorities
    • His own Imperial Majesty chancellery
    • The system of police bodies in the first half of the 19th century.
    • The prison system of Russia in the nineteenth century
  • Development of the form of state unity
    • Finland's status as a member Russian Empire
    • The incorporation of Poland into the Russian Empire
  • Systematization of the legislation of the Russian Empire
• The state and law of Russia during the establishment of capitalism (second half of the 19th century)
  • Abolition of serfdom
  • Zemskaya and urban reform
  • Local government in the second half of the 19th century.
  • Judicial reform in the second half of the 19th century.
  • Military reform in the second half of the 19th century.
  • Reform of the police and prison system in the second half of the 19th century.
  • Financial reform in Russia in the second half of the XIX century.
  • Reforms of the education system and censorship
  • Church in the system of government of tsarist Russia
  • Counter-reforms of the 1880-1890s
  • The development of Russian law in the second half of the XIX century.
    • Civil law of Russia in the second half of the XIX century.
    • Family and inheritance law in Russia in the second half of the 19th century.
• State and law of Russia during the period of the first Russian revolution and before the outbreak of the First world war (1900-1914)
  • Background and course of the first Russian revolution
  • Changes in social order Of Russia
    • Agrarian reform P.A. Stolypin
    • Formation political parties in Russia at the beginning of the XX century.
  • Changes in state structure Of Russia
    • Reforming government agencies
    • Institution State Duma
    • The punitive measures of P.A. Stolypin
    • The fight against crime at the beginning of the XX century.
  • Changes in law in Russia at the beginning of the XX century.
• State and law of Russia during the First World War
  • Changes in the state apparatus
  • Changes in the field of law during the First World War
• The state and law of Russia during the period of the February bourgeois democratic republic(February - October 1917)
  • February Revolution of 1917
  • Dual power in Russia
    • Solving the issue of the state unity of the country
    • Reform of the prison system in February - October 1917
    • Changes in the state apparatus
  • Activities of the Soviets
  • Legal activity The provisional government
• Creation of the Soviet state and law (October 1917 - 1918)
  • All-Russian Congress of Soviets and its decrees
  • Fundamental changes in the social order
  • The demolition of the bourgeois and the creation of a new Soviet state apparatus
    • Powers and activities of the Soviets
    • Military Revolutionary Committees
    • Soviet armed forces
    • Working militia
    • Changes to the judicial and penitentiary systems after October revolution
  • Nation-building
  • Constitution of the RSFSR 1918
  • Creation of the foundations of Soviet law
• Soviet state and law during the Civil War and intervention (1918-1920)
  • Civil war and intervention
  • Soviet state apparatus
  • Armed Forces and Law Enforcement
    • Reorganization of the police in 1918-1920
    • The activities of the Cheka during civil war
    • Judicial system during the civil war
  • Military alliance Soviet republics
  • Development of law in the context of the Civil War
• Soviet state and law during the new economic policy(1921-1929)
  • Nation-building. Formation of the USSR
    • Declaration and Treaty on the formation of the USSR
  • Development of the state apparatus of the RSFSR
    • Reconstruction of the national economy after the civil war
    • Judicial authorities during the NEP period
    • Creation of the Soviet prosecutor's office
    • Police of the USSR during the NEP period
    • Correctional labor institutions of the USSR during the NEP period
    • Codification of law during the NEP period
• Soviet state and law in the period of radical breakdown of social relations (1930-1941)
  • Public administration the economy
    • Collective farm construction
    • National Economy Planning and Reorganization of Management Bodies
  • State management of social and cultural processes
  • Law enforcement reforms in the 1930s
  • Reorganization of the armed forces in the 1930s
  • USSR Constitution 1936
  • Development of the USSR as a union state
  • Development of law in 1930-1941
• Soviet state and law during the Great Patriotic War
  • Great Patriotic War and the restructuring of the work of the Soviet state apparatus
  • Changes in the organization of state unity
  • The development of Soviet law during the Great Patriotic War
• The Soviet state and law in the post-war years of the restoration of the national economy (1945-1953)
  • The internal political situation and foreign policy of the USSR in the first post-war years
  • Development of the state apparatus in the post-war years
    • The system of corrective labor institutions in the post-war years
  • Development of Soviet law in the post-war years
• Soviet state and law during the period of liberalization of social relations (mid-1950s - mid-1960s)
  • Development of the external functions of the Soviet state
  • The development of the form of state unity in the mid-1950s.
  • The restructuring of the state apparatus of the USSR in the mid-1950s.
  • The development of Soviet law in the mid-1950s - mid-1960s.
• Soviet state and law during a period of slowing down social development(mid 1960s - mid 1980s)
  • Development of external functions of the state
  • USSR Constitution 1977
  • The form of state unity according to the Constitution of the USSR of 1977
    • Development of the state apparatus
    • Law enforcement in the mid-1960s - mid-1980s.
    • The bodies of justice of the USSR in the 1980s.
  • Development of law in the middle. 1960s - mid. 1900s
  • Correctional labor institutions in the middle. 1960s - mid. 1900s
• Formation of the state and law of the Russian Federation. The collapse of the USSR (mid 1980s - 1990s)
  • The policy of "perestroika" and its main content
  • The main directions of development of the political regime and state system
  • The collapse of the USSR
  • External consequences of the collapse of the USSR for Russia. Commonwealth Independent States
  • Formation of the state apparatus of new Russia
  • Development of the form of state unity of the Russian Federation
  • Development of law during the collapse of the USSR and the formation of the Russian Federation

USSR Constitution 1977

The need to create a new Constitution of the USSR. The question of the development and adoption of a new Constitution of the USSR was first raised by H.C. Khrushchev at the extraordinary XXI Congress of the CPSU. Then, in the materials of the XXII Party Congress, held in 1961, this was given a more complete justification. It boiled down to the fact that the Soviet state had grown from a state of the dictatorship of the proletariat into a state of the whole people, and proletarian democracy into a state of the whole people. This provision was enshrined in the Party Program adopted by the XXII Congress of the CPSU.

The congress considered it necessary to consolidate the new qualitative composition of Soviet society and the state in the Basic Law and decided to start developing the draft Constitution of the USSR.

In accordance with this, on April 25, 1962, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a resolution "On the development of a draft Constitution of the USSR." At the same time, a Constitutional Commission was formed, headed by N.S. Khrushchev.

As part of the commission, nine subcommittees were created, which worked on various sections of the draft of the future Basic Law.

After the October 1964 Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee, at which L.I. Brezhnev, there have been significant changes in the composition of the Constitutional Commission. On December 11, 1964, by decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, L.I. Brezhnev. This circumstance, however, did not lead to increased activity in the work on the draft Constitution. For more than ten years, the commission was practically inactive. During this decade, there have been changes in the characteristics of the social system that existed in the country.

In November 1967, in a report dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Great October socialist revolution, L.I. Brezhnev announced the building of a developed socialist society in the USSR. Naturally, it took time to develop and substantiate the theory of developed socialism and, taking it into account, to develop a draft Constitution. Special attention was paid to this at the XXV Congress of the Communist Party held in 1971. After the congress, the work of the Constitutional Commission intensified.

Maisky 1977 The plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU considered the draft Constitution of the USSR presented by the Constitutional Commission and approved it in general. Following this, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a decree on submitting the project for national discussion. On June 4, 1977, the draft of the new Constitution of the USSR was published in the central and local press. A nationwide discussion began, which lasted about four months. More than 140 million people, or more than 4/5 of the country's adult population, took part in the discussion.

The project was considered and approved by 1.5 million meetings of labor collectives, military units and citizens at the place of residence, 450 thousand party and 465 thousand Komsomol meetings. The draft Constitution was discussed and approved at sessions of more than 50 thousand local Soviets and at sessions of the Supreme Soviets of all union and autonomous republics. During the discussion, 180 thousand letters were received from the working people of the country. In general, during the national discussion, about 400 thousand proposals were received aimed at clarifying, improving and supplementing the draft Constitution.

All proposals received were studied and summarized, and then considered at meetings of the Constitutional Commission and the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Many of the proposals made during the nationwide discussion were taken into account and used when finalizing the draft Constitution. At the extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the ninth convocation, the draft of the new Basic Law of the USSR underwent comprehensive discussion, and amendments were made to 18 articles and one more article was added. On October 7, 1977, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR unanimously approved the Constitution of the USSR. It was divided into a preamble, 21 chapters, 9 sections and contained 174 articles.

Continuity and features of the 1977 Constitution of the USSR By characterizing distinctive features Constitution of the USSR in 1977, it should be noted that it retained continuity in relation to the previously existing Soviet constitutions. At the same time, it differed significantly from the previous Soviet constitutions and contained a lot of new things. For the first time in Soviet constitutional history part of The main law became a preamble. It traced the historical path of Soviet society, the outcome of which was considered a developed socialist society. The preamble described the main features of this society.

The 1977 Constitution of the USSR expanded the range of issues related to the political and economic systems. The section "Fundamentals of the Social System and Politics of the USSR" is devoted to them.

In Art. 1 spoke about the Soviet state as a socialist state of the whole people, expressing the will and interests of workers, peasants and intelligentsia, working people of all nations and nationalities of the country.

As in the 1936 Constitution of the USSR, the Soviets were enshrined in the new Constitution as the political basis. However, in the conditions of the state of the whole people, they received the name of the Soviets of People's Deputies.

As an economic basis, the Constitution retained socialist property.

One of the characteristic features of the 1977 USSR Constitution was the expansion of the limits of constitutional regulation. It addresses issues related to nature conservation, ensuring the reproduction of natural resources and improving surrounding man Wednesday.

The formulation in the Constitution of the principles of the policy of the state and all its organs was also of great importance. This is expressed in such new chapters as "Social Development and Culture", "Foreign Policy", "Defense of the Socialist Fatherland". The Constitution presented the political system of the USSR (state Councils, public organizations, labor collectives) as a single mechanism for the implementation of democracy under the leadership of the Communist Party, which is the core of this system.

For the first time in the history of Soviet Constitutions, the Basic Law of 1977 directly enshrined the principle of socialist legality as one of the basic principles of the state, its bodies and officials (Article 4).

A special article was devoted to consolidating the leading role of the Communist Party in political system USSR (Art. 6).

Unlike the Constitution of the USSR of 1936, where the rights and obligations of citizens were discussed only in the tenth chapter (after the chapters on state bodies), the section "State and Personality" in the Constitution of the USSR of 1977 follows the section "Fundamentals of the Social System and Politics of the USSR ".

At the same time, the 1977 USSR Constitution significantly expanded the totality of citizens' rights and freedoms. To earlier established rights now added the right to health protection, the right to housing, the right to use cultural assets, the right to participate in the management of state and public affairs, to submit proposals to State bodies, to criticize shortcomings in their work.

It is especially important to note that the 1977 USSR Constitution for the first time in the Soviet constitutional legislation provided for the right of citizens to appeal against the actions of any officials in court (Article 58). True, neither the Constitution nor subsequent legislation established a mechanism for the exercise of this right, which, of course, could not but affect the reality of this constitutional right of citizens.

The duties of citizens received a more detailed interpretation. The main duties of citizens were to observe the Constitution and laws, work conscientiously and observe labor discipline, protect the interests of the state and help strengthen its power, strengthen the friendship of the nations and nationalities of the country, protect socialist property, fight waste and promote the protection public order, to protect nature and cultural monuments. The Constitution established the obligation to bear with dignity the high title of a citizen of the USSR, to defend the socialist Fatherland, and to promote the strengthening of friendship and cooperation between peoples.

Section I of the Constitution also contains new chapters on social development and culture, oh foreign policy USSR and the defense of the socialist homeland.

The chapters devoted to national-state relations are combined into the section "national-state structure", which more accurately reflected the essence of those norms that constituted the content of the section.

A special section of the 1977 USSR Constitution is devoted to the Soviets of People's Deputies and the procedure for their election. It is followed by sections defining the system of government and administrative bodies, as well as the foundations for building republican and local government bodies. This was followed by a section on justice, arbitration and prosecutorial supervision.

The Constitution of the USSR is completed by sections (not divided into chapters): on the coat of arms, flag, anthem and the capital of the USSR, on the operation of the Constitution and the procedure for changing it.

Soon after the adoption of the Constitution of the USSR in 1978, new Basic Laws of the Union and Autonomous Republics were adopted, which corresponded to the Constitution of the USSR and took into account the peculiarities of the republics. The Constitution of the RSFSR was adopted The Supreme Council Russian Federation April 12, 1978