The Supreme Council of the USSR was created in. Supreme Council of the USSR

The Constitution was the main legislative body of the country. He was called upon to represent the interests of the people in the person of the deputies. But to what extent was it possible to do this in the realities of Soviet times? Let's look at the history of the formation and further development of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and also analyze in detail its main tasks and functions.

Before the formation of the Supreme Council, the highest body legislative branch the state considered the Congress of Soviets of the USSR, consisting of deputies who were elected at local congresses. This body was elected by the Central Election Commission, which, in turn, was responsible for the formation of the executive branches of government. The Congress of Soviets was established immediately after the formation of the USSR in 1922 and abolished in 1936, when it was replaced by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Before the proclamation Soviet Union similar functions were performed by the Congresses of Soviets of specific republics: All-Russian, All-Ukrainian, All-Belarusian, All-Caucasian. In total, from 1922 to 1936, eight All-Union Congresses of Soviets were held.

In 1936, the Soviet Union adopted another Constitution, according to which the powers of the Supreme Council and the Central Executive Committee of the USSR were transferred to a new institution - the Supreme Council. Unlike its predecessor, this collegial body assumed direct election by the entire population of the country with the right to vote. It was believed that in this way the people would have more leverage to form power structures than with indirect elections. This was presented as the next step towards the democratization of society, with which the formation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was connected. This is how the authorities tried to pretend to be close to the people.

Elections to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were held in December 1937, and he began his immediate duties at the beginning of the next year.

The Supreme Soviet of the USSR was formed from two chambers with equal rights: the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities. The first of them was elected in proportion to the population in each area. The second represented each republic or autonomous unit, and for each administrative-territorial form a certain number of deputies was provided, regardless of the number of inhabitants in a given territory. Thus, each republic in the Council of Nationalities was represented by 32 deputies, an autonomous republic - 11, an autonomous region - 5, an autonomous district - 1.

Presidium

The body that managed the work of this parliamentary structure was the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. He was elected immediately after the start of the activities of the Council of a particular convocation. Initially it consisted of thirty-eight deputies, although the number was subsequently adjusted. Its work was supervised by the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

Members of the Presidium, unlike other deputies, worked on a permanent basis and did not meet from session to session.

Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin became the first Chairman of the Supreme Council. He held this position almost until his death in 1946, and before that he was the head of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union from the RSFSR. Heading the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, M.I. Kalinin acquired the nickname “All-Union Elder.”

Under him, in 1940, due to the fact that the territory of the USSR expanded significantly, including by including new republics and autonomous entities as a result of the implementation of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, it was decided to increase the number of members of the presidium by 5 people. However, on the day of Kalinin’s resignation, this number was reduced by one. The most famous Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR at that time was issued in July 1941 and was called “On Martial Law.” It signified the fact that the Soviet Union accepted the challenge posed to it by Nazi Germany.

After the war, Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin did not remain in his high position for long. Due to poor health, he had to resign as head of the Supreme Council in March 1946, although he remained a member of the Presidium until his death from cancer in June of that year.

After Kalinin's resignation, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was headed by Nikolai Mikhailovich Shvernik. Of course, he did not have as much authority as his predecessor to make at least some adjustments to Stalin’s policies. Actually, after Stalin’s death in 1953, Shvernik was replaced by a military leader known from the Civil War, Marshal Kliment Efremovich Voroshilov, popular among the people. However, he was more of a military man than a politician, so he also failed to develop his own independent line, despite the beginning of the “thaw” under Khrushchev.

In 1960, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev became the head of the Supreme Council. After Khrushchev's removal in 1964, he left this position, becoming the General Secretary of the only party in the state. Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan was appointed head of the Supreme Council, but a year later he was replaced by Nikolai Viktorovich Podgorny, since the previous Chairman tried to pursue an independent policy in some matters.

However, in 1977, Brezhnev again took the post of head of the Presidium of the Supreme Council, which he held until his death in the fall of 1982. Thus, for the first time in history, the position of party head (the de facto leader of the Soviet Union) and formally the highest post in the country were concentrated in the hands of one person. The congresses of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in those years were of a purely technical nature, and all major decisions were made exclusively by the Politburo. It was an era of "stagnation".

New Constitution

Came into effect in 1978 new Constitution, according to which deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were re-elected once every 5 years, instead of four, as was the case before. The number of the Presidium together with the head reached 39 people.

This Constitution confirmed that the Supreme Soviet of the USSR is the collegial head of the Soviet Union. In addition, the Presidium was assigned the exclusive right of ratification and denunciation international agreements, introduction of martial law and declaration of war. Among other powers of this body, it should be noted the prerogative of conferring citizenship, establishing and awarding orders and medals, and holding referendums. However, this is far from a complete list.

From Brezhnev to Gorbachev

After Brezhnev's death in 1982, the tradition of combining the highest party and government positions what he started was continued. Vasily Vasilyevich Kuznetsov was appointed acting chairman of the Supreme Council until the election of a new General Secretary. After Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov was appointed General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, he was also elected to the post of Chairman of the Presidium. However, he did not hold these posts for long, since he died in February 1984.

Again Kuznetsov was appointed and. O. the head of the Soviet parliament, and again he was replaced after his election to the post by a new General Secretary - Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko. However, he did not live long, since a year later he life path broke off. Again, the permanent acting head of the Presidium, V. V. Kuznetsov, assumed temporary powers. But this trend was interrupted. The time has come for global change.

Chairmanship of A. A. Gromyko

After Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev came to power in 1985 as General Secretary, the tradition dating back to the time of Brezhnev, when the highest party leader simultaneously headed the Supreme Council, was broken. This time Andrei Andreevich Gromyko, who had previously been the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was appointed Chairman of the Presidium. He remained in this position until 1988, when he asked to resign for health reasons. Less than a year later, Andrei Andreevich died. This was, perhaps, the first head of the Supreme Council after the “All-Union Elder” Kalinin, who was able to pursue a policy that did not completely coincide with the line of the General Secretary.

At this time, the country, under the leadership of General Secretary M.S. Gorbachev, was pursuing a course towards democratization of society, which was given the name “perestroika”. It was he who took the chair of the Chairman of the Supreme Council after Gromyko’s resignation.

Just in 1988, the active phase of perestroika began. She could not help but touch upon the activities of the Supreme Council itself. The composition of the Presidium was significantly expanded. Now the heads of committees and chambers of the Supreme Council automatically became its members. But more importantly, since 1989, the Supreme Council has ceased to be the collective head of state, since it is headed solely by the Chairman.

Since this year, the format of the meetings itself has changed significantly. If previously deputies gathered exclusively at sessions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, then from that moment their work began to be carried out on an ongoing basis, as the Presidium had functioned before.

In the first half of March 1990, it was established new position- President of the USSR. It was he who now began to be considered the official head of the Soviet Union. In this regard, Mikhail Gorbachev, who assumed this position, renounced the powers of the Chairman of the Supreme Council, transferring them to Anatoly Ivanovich Lukyanov.

Disbandment

It was under Lukyanov that the Supreme Soviet of the USSR completed its functioning. 1991 became the point after which the Soviet state could no longer exist in its previous form.

The turning point was August putsch, who was defeated and thereby stated the impossibility of preserving the old order. By the way, one of the active members of the coup was the head of parliament Anatoly Lukyanov, who, however, was not directly a member of the State Emergency Committee. After the failure of the putsch, with the permission of the Supreme Council, he was in a pre-trial detention center, from where he was released only in 1992, that is, after the final collapse of the Soviet Union.

In September 1991, a law was issued to significantly change the functioning of the Supreme Council. According to it, the independence of the Council of the Union and the Council of Republics was consolidated. The first chamber included deputies whose candidacies were agreed upon with the leadership of a particular republic. Twenty deputies from each republic of the Soviet Union were elected to the second chamber. It was last change which the USSR Parliament underwent.

Meanwhile, after a failed attempt coup d'etat, more and more former Soviet republics announced state sovereignty and secession from the USSR. At the beginning of the last month of 1991, the existence of the Soviet Union was effectively put to rest Belovezhskaya Pushcha, at the congress of leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. On December 25, President Gorbachev resigned. And the next day, at a session of the Supreme Council, a decision was made on its self-dissolution and the liquidation of the USSR as a state.

The Supreme Soviet of the USSR was formally considered for most of the time of its existence to be a collective head of state, endowed with very broad functions, but in fact the real state of affairs was far from being like that. All major decisions concerning state development were made at meetings of the Central Committee of the Party or the Politburo, and at a certain period of time, individually Secretary General. So the activities of the Supreme Council were a screen covering the people who really led the country. Although the Bolsheviks came to power using the slogan: “All power to the Soviets!”, in reality it was never put into practice. Only in recent years the declared functions of this parliamentary structure began to at least partially correspond to the real ones.

At the same time, it should be noted that it was the laws and decrees of the Supreme Council that were a kind of notification to the people and the world community about the decisions that were made ruling elite. Thus, this institution still had certain functions, although they differed significantly from its declarative rights and prerogatives enshrined in the Soviet Constitution.

The Supreme Council of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, was the highest representative and legislative body state power Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which operated from 1938 to 1991. From 1938 to 1989 it met in sessions, and from 1989 to 1991 it was the permanent parliament of the Soviet Union.

Since the Soviet political system rejected the doctrine of separation and independence of powers, the Supreme Council had not only legislative, but also partially executive and supervisory powers. The laws issued by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were the source of law.

The Supreme Council was formally considered the collective head of state (in the intervals between sessions, legislative, representative and other functions of the Supreme Council were carried out by its Presidium).

The nature of the activities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR has changed since the election and start of work in May 1989 of the first Congress people's deputies THE USSR. The Constitution of 1936, compared to the Constitution of 1924, significantly expanded the powers of all-Union bodies, including through monitoring the implementation of the Constitution and ensuring compliance of the constitutions of the Union republics with the Constitution of the USSR. The right to publish republican codes of laws, issues of labor legislation, legislation on the court and the administrative-territorial structure were withdrawn from the union republics in favor of all-union bodies, which meant increased centralization of management. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR also received the right to appoint any investigative and audit commissions, which made it possible to control the activities of any government body.

Emergency measures characteristic of the legislative activities of the USSR Central Executive Committee found their development in the lawmaking of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In 1930–1940, new emergency laws, the scope of which either expanded to the limit or narrowed. These include the 1938 law on labor discipline, the 1939 laws on equating the release of incomplete or poor-quality products with sabotage, on the establishment of a mandatory minimum of workdays for collective farmers, failure to comply with which threatened the peasant with exclusion from the collective farm, that is, the loss of all means of subsistence. In 1947, a decree on forced labor on collective farms was issued, on the basis of which, for evasion of labor or failure to meet the norm (176 workdays per year), by resolution of the village council, the violator could be deported with his family for 5 years.

The term of office of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the first convocation ended in the fall of 1941, but the outbreak of war forced the elections to be postponed. During the Great Patriotic War Only three sessions of the Supreme Council took place (in June 1942, in February 1944, in April 1945). At the first of them, deputies ratified the Anglo-Soviet treaty on an alliance in the war, at the second, decisions were made to expand the rights of the union republics in the region external relations and national defense and the Union budget for 1944, the April session approved the 1945 budget law.

The belittling of the role of the Supreme Council was also facilitated by the new definition of the Council under the 1936 Constitution of the USSR People's Commissars(since 1946 – the Council of Ministers of the USSR), as “the highest executive and administrative body of state power.”

The USSR Constitution of 1977 did not change the fundamental principles state life. During the discussion, newspapers and the Constitutional Commission received just under 500 thousand proposals. The workers' letters contained criticism of the political and electoral system society, place and role of the Soviets as authorities. But the people's opinion was never heard. Moreover, after its adoption, the centralization of state administrative functions in the hands of party bodies increased. The role of state governing bodies has hypertrophied, and the role of the Soviets has been reduced to almost nothing.

The work of the Supreme Council was led by the Presidium, which was re-elected at the beginning of the work of the Council of each convocation at a joint meeting of both chambers from among the deputies. The composition of the Presidium was not permanent and was determined by the Constitution of the USSR. In the 1977 USSR Constitution, the Presidium was defined as a permanent body of the Supreme Council, reporting to it and performing its functions in the period between sessions.

The Presidium was authorized to ratify and denounce international treaties, introduce martial law in certain areas or throughout the USSR, give orders for general or partial mobilization, declare war, and appoint USSR ambassadors. In addition, the functions of the Presidium included: issuing decrees; interpretation of existing laws; exercise of the right of pardon; admission to Soviet citizenship, deprivation of it and approval of voluntary withdrawal from Soviet citizenship; establishment of orders, medals, honorary titles of the USSR and awarding them; establishment of military ranks and diplomatic ranks.

The change in the political leadership of the party and the country served as the beginning of an era of attempts to update state and socio-political structures in the country. In a process called "perestroika" Soviet society» a period of renewal of all spheres of life began, new political public organizations. On December 1, 1988, two laws were adopted - “On amendments and additions to the Constitution (Basic Law) of the USSR” and “On the elections of people’s deputies of the USSR”, which significantly changed the system of the highest representative bodies of the USSR. Since 1989, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR has become the sole head of state, and since 1990 - the President of the USSR.

In June 1988, general secretary The Central Committee of the CPSU M. S. Gorbachev at the XIX Conference, announced a course towards political reform. Adopted on December 1, 1988 new law USSR “On the elections of people's deputies of the USSR” and the necessary changes were made to the Constitution of the USSR of 1977. On September 5, 1991, the Congress adopted the anti-constitutional Law of the USSR “On Bodies of State Power and Administration” USSR V transition period", which radically changed the structure of government bodies.

According to the law, during the transition period, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was the highest representative body of power of the USSR, consisting of two independent chambers: the Council of Republics and the Council of the Union. The Council of Republics included 20 deputies from each union republic from among the people's deputies of the USSR and union republics, delegated by the highest authorities of these republics. The Council of the Union was formed by deputations of the union republics from among the people's deputies of the USSR in agreement with the highest authorities of the union republics.

For the period before the start of work of the unconstitutionally formed Supreme Council, the powers of the legally elected Supreme Council and its bodies were retained. On December 26, 1991, a session of the unconstitutional Council of Republics adopted a declaration on the termination of the existence of the USSR in connection with the formation of the CIS. On the same day, a decree was issued that stated the release of people's deputies of the USSR from performing official duties on a permanent basis in the Council of the Union of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the bodies of the chamber from January 2, 1992.

Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1937 – 1990).

The Constitution of the USSR of 1936 introduced fundamental changes to the system of all governing bodies of the country. Universal, equal, direct suffrage was granted to all citizens over 18 years of age, with the exception of the mentally ill and those deprived of voting rights by the court. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, which became the successor, were designated by the Constitution as the highest all-Union body of state power. He was elected by secret ballot of citizens.

The elections of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 1st convocation took place on December 12, 1937, and the first session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was held on January 12-19, 1938. II convocation - in February 1946. Subsequently, the term of office of deputies was limited to 4 years: III convocation - 1950-1954, IV 1954-1958; V 1958-1962; VI 1962-1966; VII 1966-1970; VIII 1970-1974; IX 1974-1978; X – 1979-1984; XI – 1984-1989

The Supreme Soviet of the USSR consisted of two equal chambers: the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities. Members of the Council of the Union were elected by the entire population of the USSR in electoral districts with equal population sizes. For elections to the Council of Nationalities, a special norm of representation was in force: from each union republic - 32 deputies, from autonomous republics - 11 deputies, from an autonomous region - 5 deputies and 1 deputy from each autonomous okrug.

If there is disagreement between the chambers, the decision controversial issue was transferred to the conciliation commission, which was to be formed by both chambers on a parity basis. In case of new disagreements, the Presidium of the Supreme Council, in accordance with Art. 47 and 49 of the Constitution, could dissolve the Supreme Council and call new elections. However, during all 53 years of the existence of the Supreme Soviets, no such conflicts arose.

Both chambers were given the right of legislative initiative. Each chamber elected a chairman and four deputies. The chairman led the meetings and determined the internal routine. Joint sessions of the chambers were chaired by their chairmen in turn. Each chamber at the first session of the new convocation, based on a certain representative norm, had to form a special advisory body - the Council of Elders, which was subsequently entrusted with organizational work - setting the agenda, regulations, etc.

At the first meetings, the chambers were supposed to form permanent commissions (legislative proposals, budgetary, foreign affairs etc.) - auxiliary and preparatory bodies of the chambers that acted during the term of office of the chamber. Their tasks included preparing opinions and amendments to bills, developing bills on own initiative or on behalf of the chamber, control over the implementation by ministries and departments of the Constitution of the USSR and other laws, and the work of the commissions was managed by the chairmen of the chambers and the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

In 1967, the Supreme Council adopted a special regulation on the standing commissions of both chambers, determining their composition and regulating their activities. Each chamber created the following standing commissions: mandate, legislative proposals, planning and budget, foreign affairs; on industry, transport and communications; construction and building materials industry; agriculture; health and social security; public education, science and culture; youth affairs; on trade, consumer services and utilities; on nature conservation; for consumer goods; on issues of work and life of women, protection of motherhood and childhood.

The main form of activity of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were sessions, which were to be convened twice a year. The issue of quorum was decided by the deputies themselves. The Constitution provided for the holding of both regular and extraordinary sessions. An extraordinary session could be convened at the request of the Presidium or one of the union republics, but deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, according to the 1936 Constitution, did not have this right. The 1977 USSR Constitution expanded the rights of deputies by establishing a norm of 2/3 votes of either chamber, but no one took advantage of this right.

The work of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR took place in the form of sessions, usually convened twice a year. In the period between sessions, the highest legislative and administrative body since 1936 was its Presidium, elected by the chambers, but the legal position of the Presidium was not defined in the Constitution.

Formally, the Presidium was defined as a body elected and accountable to the chambers. Its competence included convening sessions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, interpreting laws, issuing decrees and calling new elections to the Supreme Council. Later, from 1938, the Presidium received the right to accept and deprive USSR citizenship, to declare martial law in the country, and by adding to the 1948 Constitution, the Presidium received the right to denounce international treaties of the USSR, establish state awards, honorary and military ranks THE USSR.

Emergency measures characteristic of the legislative activities of the USSR Central Executive Committee found their development in the lawmaking of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In the 1940s, new emergency laws were periodically issued, the scope of which was either expanded to the limit or narrowed. These include the 1938 law on labor discipline, the 1939 laws on equating the production of incomplete or substandard products with sabotage, on the establishment of a mandatory minimum of workdays for collective farmers, failure to comply with which threatened the peasant with exclusion from the collective farm, i.e. loss of all means of subsistence. In 1940, laws were passed prohibiting unauthorized departure from enterprises, absenteeism, tightening penalties for petty theft in production, etc. In 1941-1944. Unprecedented decrees on the deportation of many peoples followed. In 1947, a decree on forced labor on collective farms was issued, on the basis of which, for evasion of labor or failure to meet the norm (176 workdays per year), by resolution of the village council, the violator could be deported with his family for 5 years. By decree of June 4, 1947, the criminal liability for theft of state and public property (from 2 to 25 years)

In 1941-1945. The Presidium adopted a number of decrees on transferring the economy to a war footing, on expanding the rights and powers of the military authorities, on increasing taxes, and legislated a whole series of repressive acts against individual peoples and nationalities in the USSR, which led to the reshaping territorial division country and amendments to the Constitution.

The Presidium also developed and approved the regulations on elections, set the day for their holding and formed electoral districts, it also approved the composition of the Central election commission and established uniform forms of election documentation.

But the main focus of the Presidium’s work was issues of state building. He considered and resolved issues Soviet construction, established the system and competence of central government bodies for managing the economy and culture, and formed ministries and departments. In the period between sessions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, he could dismiss or appoint ministers.

Initially, the functions of the Presidium were interpreted as the duties of a “collegial president,” but very quickly he began to issue decrees of a legislative nature. As a result, among the laws adopted by the Supreme Council at sessions, laws approving the decrees of the Presidium began to predominate, which, in turn, further emphasized the decorative essence of Soviet “parliamentarism”, where the role of people’s representatives was reduced to rubber-stamping. passed bills and personal reception of citizens with their complaints and suggestions.

In the 1977 USSR Constitution, the Presidium was defined as a permanent body of the Supreme Council, reporting to it and performing its functions in the period between sessions. He ensured the preparation of draft laws for consideration and the publication of laws and other acts; organized working together standing committees and gave instructions to standing committees; heard reports from government and public bodies on consideration of recommendations of standing committees; heard deputies about their reports to voters.

The Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were: M.I. Kalinin (1938-1946), N.M. Shvernik (1946-1953), K.E. Voroshilov (1953-1957), M.P. Georgadze (1957-1960) , L.I. Brezhnev (1960-1964, 1977-1982), A.I. Mikoyan (1964-1965), N.V. Podgorny (1965-1977), Yu.V. Andropov (1983-1984), K.U. Chernenko ( 1984-1985), A.A. Gromyko (1985-1988), M.S. Gorbachev (1988-1989). On May 25, 1989, in connection with a change in the nature of the activities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the position of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was introduced, which was held by M.S. Gorbachev until March 15, 1990, and then, in connection with the election of M.S. Gorbachev as President of the USSR , until September 4, 1991 - A.I. Lukyanov.

To carry out its functions, the Presidium It was the Presidium that formed the working apparatus, which included:

Secretariat of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1950-1989), Secretariat of the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1951-1954) and Secretariat of the Secretary of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1938-1989);

Reception of the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1937-1988);

Office of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1938-1989);

Legal Department (1938-1989);

Department international relations (1950-1988);

Information and statistical department (1938-1966);

Department for Soviet Affairs (1966-1988);

Department for the work of standing committees of chambers. (1966-1988);

Department for accounting and registration of awardees (1938-1988; since 1959 - Department of Awards);

Department for preparation for consideration of applications for pardon (1955-1988; since 1984 - Sector for Pardon Issues)

Elections Sector;

Sector of administrative-territorial division;

Ensuring the work of the Supreme Council was entrusted to: Administration of Affairs (1938-1950) and Financial and Economic Department (1938-1988).

Meetings of the Presidium were convened by its chairman once every two months. The Presidium also carried out work to receive the population, consider letters and applications from citizens.

The nature of the activities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR has changed since the election and start of work in May 1989 of the first Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR.

The Constitution of 1936, compared to the Constitution of 1924, significantly expanded the powers of all-Union bodies, including through monitoring the implementation of the Constitution and ensuring compliance of the constitutions of the Union republics with the Constitution of the USSR. The right to publish republican codes of laws, issues of labor legislation, legislation on the court and the administrative-territorial structure were withdrawn from the union republics in favor of all-union bodies, which meant increased centralization of management. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR also received the right to appoint any investigative and audit commissions, which made it possible to control the activities of any government body.

The term of office of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the first convocation ended in the fall of 1941, but the outbreak of war forced the postponement of elections. During the Great Patriotic War, only three sessions of the Supreme Council took place (in June 1942, February 1944, April 1945). At the first of them, deputies ratified the Anglo-Soviet treaty on an alliance in war, at the second, decisions were made to expand the rights of the union republics in the field of foreign relations and defense of the country and the union budget for 1944, the April session approved the budget law of 1945.

At the sessions of the newly elected Supreme Soviet of the USSR in March 1946 (1946-1953), mainly the budgets of the USSR and reports on their implementation were discussed, and decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Council were approved. Despite some critical speeches about the work of the state apparatus and calls for reducing the tax burden on agriculture, not a single one of the proposals put forward by deputies on their own initiative was implemented.

After Stalin's death, deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR 1954-1962. Many measures were proposed and even developed to expand the rights of the union republics in economic and cultural development, to expand the foreign policy activities of the Supreme Council, and much more. A lot was done to restore justice in relation to the repressed peoples and nationalities in the USSR, to restore their rights, but the initiatives of the deputies of the Supreme Council did not receive any further development.

The downgrading of the role of the Supreme Council was also facilitated by the new definition under the 1936 USSR Constitution of the Council of People's Commissars (from 1946 - the Council of Ministers of the USSR) as “the highest executive and administrative body of state power.” This formulation of the question about the place and role of the government in the life of the country, strengthening the tendency towards bureaucracy of the state and party apparatus, only emphasized the decorative bodies of representative power in the USSR.

The USSR Constitution of 1977 did not change the fundamental principles of state life. During the discussion, newspapers and the Constitutional Commission received just under 500 thousand proposals. The workers' letters contained criticism of the political and electoral system of society, the place and role of the Soviets as authorities, etc. But the people's opinion was never heard. Moreover, after its adoption, the centralization of state administrative functions in the hands of party bodies increased. The role of state governing bodies has hypertrophied, and the role of the Soviets has been reduced to almost nothing.

The change in the political leadership of the party and the country served as the beginning of an era of attempts to update state and socio-political structures in the country. During the process, called the “restructuring of Soviet society,” a period of renewal of all spheres of life began, and new political public organizations emerged.

On December 1, 1988, two laws were adopted - “On Amendments and Additions to the Constitution (Basic Law) of the USSR” and “On the Election of People's Deputies of the USSR”, which significantly changed the system of the highest representative bodies of the USSR.

Budget commissions (since 1966 - Planning and budget commissions);

Council of the Union and Council of Nationalities (1938-1989);

Economic Commission of the Council of Nationalities (1957-1966);

Commission of Legislative Propositions of the Council of the Union of the Council of Nationalities (1938-1989);

Editorial commission for introducing amendments and additions to the text of the Constitution of the USSR (1946-1947).

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in 1937-1988 supreme body state power of the Soviet Union. According to the USSR Constitution of 1936, the Supreme Council was elected for 4 years on the basis of universal, equal and direct voting rights. The 1977 Constitution of the USSR increased the term of the next legislative convocation to 5 years. The V.S. consisted of equal chambers - the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities. Legislative activity The Supreme Council was carried out in two forms: directly through the adoption of laws and through the approval of decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Council, issued in the period between, as a rule, two short sessions. Voting of laws was carried out separately in chambers. The law was considered approved if a simple majority of votes was cast for its adoption in each of the chambers; a supermajority in each house was required to amend the Constitution. The Law "On Amendments and Additions to the Constitution (Basic Law of the USSR", adopted on December 1, 1988, established a two-tier structure of legislative bodies - the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR and the bicameral Supreme Council of the USSR. Within the framework new structure The Supreme Council received the status of a permanent legislative, administrative and control body of state power. A significant increase in the duration of sessions to 3-4 months brought the activities of the Supreme Council closer to the practice of Western representative institutions. However, the method of formation (its members were elected by the Congress of People's Deputies), its accountability to the Congress, the principle of responsibility of deputies to voters (including the right of recall) gave comparisons of the Supreme Council with parliament a purely formal character. The introduction of the post of President of the USSR in March 1990 significantly limited the rights of the Supreme Council for control for compliance with the Constitution of the USSR and deprived him of administrative functions.

Great definition

Incomplete definition ↓

the highest body of state power of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a representative body of the Soviet people, elected by citizens of the USSR for a period of 4 years on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.

V.S. USSR is a true representative of the entire Soviet people, possessing full state power in a socialist state (see). All citizens of the USSR who have reached the age of 18 have the right to participate in the elections of deputies to the Supreme Council of the USSR, regardless of race and nationality, gender, religion, educational qualifications, residence, social origin, property status and past activities, with the exception of the insane and persons convicted by a court with deprivation of voting rights. Every citizen of the Soviet Union who has reached the age of 23 can be elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

V.S. USSR exercises all rights assigned to the USSR in accordance with Art. 14 of the Constitution, since they do not, by virtue of the Constitution, fall within the competence of the bodies of the USSR accountable to the Supreme Council of the USSR: the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Council of Ministers of the USSR (see) and the ministries of the USSR. V.S. USSR allows critical issues state life of the USSR, in particular issues of war and peace, approves a unified state budget and national economic plans, resolves issues regarding the admission of new republics to the Union, approves, with the consent of the union republics, changes in the borders between them, the formation of new territories, regions, as well as new autonomous republics, etc.

The legislative power of the USSR is exercised exclusively by the Supreme Council of the USSR. This ensures its true supremacy and the stability of Soviet legislation. The publication of laws only by a representative body of the Soviet people testifies to the true democracy of the Soviet state, to the fact that law in the USSR is a valid expression of the will of the people.

V.S. USSR has unlimited right of control over the activities of state bodies. power and management. This is expressed, firstly, in the fact that deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR enjoy the right of inquiry (see Request by a deputy of the Supreme Council) both in relation to the Government as a whole and in relation to individual members of the Government. The Government of the USSR or the Minister of the USSR, to whom a request from a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR is addressed, is obliged to give an oral or written response in the appropriate chamber within no more than three days. Secondly, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR may, when it deems it necessary, appoint investigative and audit commissions on any issue. All institutions and officials are obliged to comply with the requirements of these commissions and provide them with the necessary materials and documents.

The Supreme Soviet of the USSR consists of 2 chambers: the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities (see). Bicameral structure V.S. USSR due to multinational composition population of the Soviet Union. The peoples of the Soviet Union, along with common interests, also have their own special, specific interests associated with their national characteristics. The Council of the Union represents common interests all workers of the USSR. The Council of Nationalities represents the special, specific interests of the united nationalities of the USSR. In accordance with this, the Council of the Union is elected by citizens of the USSR in electoral districts according to the norm: 1 deputy per 300 thousand population; The Council of Nationalities is elected by citizens of the USSR in union and autonomous republics, autonomous regions and national districts according to the norm: 25 deputies from each union Soviet socialist republic(see), 11 deputies from each autonomous Soviet socialist republic (see), 5 deputies from each autonomous region (see) and 1 deputy from each national district (see). As a result of this system, all nationalities of the multinational Soviet socialist state are represented in the Council of Nationalities - including those that number only a few thousand people. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR is, therefore, a representative body both of the entire Soviet people as a whole and of all its nationalities.

Both chambers of the Supreme Council of the USSR are equal in rights. Their equality is ensured by the Constitution of the USSR. They equally own the legislative initiative. A law is considered approved if it is adopted by both chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR by a simple majority of votes. In case of disagreement between the chambers, the issue is referred to the resolution of a conciliation commission (see Conciliation Commission), formed by the chambers on a parity basis. If the conciliation commission does not come to an agreement or if its decision does not satisfy any of the chambers, the issue is considered by them a second time. If in this case the chambers do not come to an agreement, then the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR dissolves the Supreme Council of the USSR and calls new elections. The terms of office of both chambers are the same. Sessions of the chambers begin and end simultaneously. During sessions, both chambers have a common, uniform order of the day. Each chamber elects a Chairman and 4 deputies. The chairmen of the chambers preside over their meetings and are in charge of their internal regulations. Joint sessions of the chambers are chaired alternately by their chairmen.

The regulations (see) of the chambers are the same. Both chambers have the same standing commissions (see Commissions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Councils of the Union and Autonomous Republics): mandate, legislative proposals, budgetary and foreign affairs. The procedure for the formation of both chambers is equally democratic.

The Supreme Council of the USSR, at a joint meeting of both chambers, elects the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, which is accountable to it in all its activities, forms the Government of the USSR - the Council of Ministers of the USSR, which is responsible to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and is accountable to it. V.S. USSR elects Supreme Court USSR (see) and special courts (see) and appoints Prosecutor General THE USSR.

Upon expiration of powers or in the event of early dissolution of the Supreme Council of the USSR, new elections are called by the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR within a period of no more than 2 months from the date of expiration of powers or dissolution of the Supreme Council of the USSR. The newly elected Supreme Council of the USSR is convened by the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR no later than 3 months after the elections. The V.S. USSR carries out its activities on a sessional basis. Sessions of the Supreme Council of the USSR are convened by the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR: regular - twice a year, extraordinary - at the discretion of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR or at the request of one of the union republics. The first session of the Supreme Council of the USSR of the new convocation is opened in chambers by the oldest deputies of the chambers. Subsequent sessions, if they begin separately by chambers, are opened by the chairmen of the chambers; if the session begins with a joint meeting of the chambers, then it is opened by one of the chairmen of the chambers.

The order of the day of the session is established directly by the chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR at the first meeting of the session; questions are submitted for consideration by the Supreme Council of the USSR; The Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR, the Government of the USSR, the chambers of the Supreme Council of the USSR, the standing commissions of the chambers and the deputies of the Supreme Council of the USSR. At the first meeting of the session of the chamber, the procedure for discussing issues accepted for consideration by the Supreme Council of the USSR at this session is established. As a rule, reports on issues of the order of the day are heard at joint sessions of the chambers. By decision of the chambers, issues can be discussed both at separate and joint sessions.

Speakers on issues of the order of the day of the session are approved by the chairmen of the chambers. Each group of deputies of the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities, numbering at least 50 people, can nominate its own co-rapporteur. Meetings of the Supreme Council of the USSR and its chambers are conducted in accordance with the regulations established by the chambers at the first session. Debates on individual issues are terminated by decision of the chambers. Voting is carried out by show of hands or deputy mandates. Issues are resolved by a simple majority of votes. To change the Constitution of the USSR, a qualified majority is required, namely, at least 2/3 of the votes in each chamber. Sessions of the Supreme Council of the USSR continue until the entire order of the day is exhausted.

Deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR enjoy legislative initiative, the right of inquiry and parliamentary immunity (see Right of legislative initiative, Immunity of a deputy); they are obliged to carry out the will of the voters who sent them, report to them and can be recalled at any time by the decision of a majority of voters in established by law order (see Right to recall a deputy). The Soviet people elect the best representatives of the working class, peasantry and intelligentsia of our country, nominated by the bloc of communists and non-party members, as deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In accordance with the fundamental interests of the Soviet people, the VS USSR, with all its activities, directs the development of the Soviet state along the path to communism. In doing so, he relies on the basic economic law of socialism; ensuring maximum satisfaction of the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the entire society through continuous growth and improvement of socialist production on the basis of higher technology. It finds bright expression in the laws issued by V.S. USSR on long-term plans development National economy USSR, about the state budget of the USSR, etc. V.S. The USSR pursues a consistent policy of peace and cooperation between peoples, and wages a tireless struggle against the imperialists’ preparation for a new world war. Examples of this are the Statement of V.S. USSR dated June 19, 1950 on support of the proposals of the Standing Committee World Congress supporters of peace on the prohibition of atomic weapons, the establishment of international control over compliance with this prohibition and the declaration of a war criminal by the government that is the first to use atomic weapons, Law on the Protection of Peace (see) of March 12, 1951, etc.

The Supreme Soviet of the USSR, which is the bearer of the sovereign state will of the Soviet people, is fundamentally different from bourgeois parliaments (see), obedient bodies in the hands of the imperialist bourgeoisie. While the Supreme Council of the USSR exercises full power in the state, bourgeois parliaments play a secondary role in state mechanism. IN capitalist countries“real “state” work is done behind the scenes and is carried out by departments, offices, headquarters. In parliaments they only talk with the special purpose of deceiving the “common people” (Lenin V.I., Soch., vol. 25, p. 395). Unlike the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, which is a truly representative body of the people, bourgeois parliaments are not truly representative bodies due to restrictions on electoral law, terror, bribery, extortion and other methods of pressure on voters during election campaigns, as well as direct election fraud.

The bicameral structure of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR has nothing in common with the bourgeois bicameral system. The chambers in bourgeois parliaments are unequal. The upper house enjoys greater rights than the lower house. The upper house is formed even less democratically than the lower one: in elections to the upper house, higher age and other qualifications are applied, in particular for passive suffrage, which significantly narrows the circle of persons entitled to be elected to the upper house; in some cases, indirect elections are used, and sometimes, as, for example, in the House of Lords in England, the vast majority of members of the chamber receive their seats in the chamber by inheritance or are appointed.

The experience of creating in the USSR is truly representative body people, who have full power in the state and head the entire system of state bodies, are used by people's democracies.

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Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The Soviet country is ruled the best people from the people, chosen by the working people. These are party and non-party Soviet citizens who have earned the trust of the working people through their state and social activities, their dedicated work in factories, factories and fields, their achievements in the field of science, technology, culture, and their heroic struggle against the enemies of the Soviet Motherland.

The supreme body of state power of the USSR is the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In February 1946, 1,339 deputies were elected to the Supreme Council. Among the deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, workers make up 38 percent, peasants - 26 percent, office workers, intelligentsia - 36 percent. There are 227 women among deputies. A significant group of deputies are military personnel.

The composition of elected bodies in bourgeois-landlord states is completely different. In the royal State Duma(in 1912) out of 439 deputies there were 67 farmers (mostly kulaks), 11 workers and artisans. All other deputies were from landowners, capitalists, tsarist officials, bourgeois intelligentsia, and clergy. Only 5 Bolshevik workers were the true representatives of the working people in the Duma, and even those were exiled by the tsarist government to Siberia.

Legislative power in the USSR is exercised exclusively by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This means that only he has the right to publish in Soviet country laws.

In capitalist countries, laws are made by the authorities belonging to the bourgeoisie. There the law expresses the will of the ruling exploiting classes and is directed against the people. Soviet laws express the will of the working people. In the Soviet country, for the first time in the history of mankind, the law does not contradict the people, but serves the people. The Soviet socialist state represents, expresses and protects the interests of the entire people.

The interests of the Soviet socialist state and the interests of the working people are united and inseparable. That's why execution Soviet laws absolutely necessary in the interests of strengthening Soviet state, strengthening and development of the socialist system, and consequently, in the personal interests of Soviet citizens.

Council of the Union and Council of Nationalities. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR consists of two chambers. One of them is called the Council of the Union, the other is the Council of Nationalities.

The question arises: why does the Supreme Soviet of the USSR consist of two chambers and not one? That's why.
All citizens of the Soviet Union, regardless of nationality and race, have the same basic interests, common ones. All soviet people are vitally interested in seeing that the economic and defense power of the Soviet Union is strengthened, that the material well-being and cultural level of the working people are steadily increasing, that a lasting democratic world between countries.

The common interests of all Soviet citizens, regardless of their nationality, are represented in the supreme body of state power of the USSR by deputies of the Council of the Union. The Council of the Union is elected by citizens of the USSR in electoral districts according to the norm: one deputy per 300 thousand population.

But the Soviet Union is multinational state. About 60 nations, national groups and nationalities live in our country. Citizens of various nationalities inhabiting the USSR also have their own special interests related to the national characteristics of each nation - the characteristics of its language, economy, culture, and way of life.

These special interests of each of the many Soviet peoples are represented in the supreme body of state power of the USSR by deputies of the Council of Nationalities. The Council of Nationalities is elected by citizens of the USSR in union and autonomous republics, autonomous regions and national districts. Elected from each union republic same number deputies, regardless of the size of the population living in this republic. The same principle applies to the election of deputies to the Council of Nationalities from the autonomous republics, autonomous regions and from national districts.

Bourgeois parliaments also have two chambers. They are called there: the upper and lower houses, the House of Lords and the House of Commons, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, etc. But there is nothing in common between the chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the chambers of bourgeois parliaments.

In capitalist countries, both chambers are bodies of bourgeois power. Representatives have access to the upper chambers masses especially difficult. Upper houses have special advantages over the lower houses. For example, in England the House of Lords consists of high nobility: princes, dukes, counts, barons, as well as archbishops and bishops. Some members of the House of Lords are appointed by the king and transfer their rights by inheritance. All laws passed by the lower house must pass through the upper house, which has the power to delay them. The upper houses are the stronghold of the reactionary bourgeoisie.

There is and cannot be anything like this here in the Soviet Union. In the USSR, both chambers represent the interests of workers. Both houses are elected on the basis of universal, equal, direct suffrage by secret ballot. The chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR are equal.

Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR works at its sessions. Constant, current work other higher state bodies, primarily the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, are responsible for governing the country. He is elected at a joint meeting of both chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from among the deputies consisting of a chairman, 16 of his deputies (according to the number of union republics), a secretary and 15 members. Elected Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Deputy N.M. Shvernik.

Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR is the highest, permanent body of state power of the Soviet Union, elected by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and accountable to it. He convenes sessions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, calls new elections to the Supreme Council, issues decrees, awards orders and assigns honorary titles USSR, appoints the highest command of the Armed Forces of the USSR, declares a state of war in the event of a military attack on the USSR or if it is necessary to carry out international obligations for mutual defense against aggression, announces general or partial mobilization, approves treaties of the USSR with other states, appoints plenipotentiary representatives of the USSR in other states, etc.

In capitalist countries there are no authorities similar to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. There the state is headed by one person - the king, the president. They are not responsible to parliament, stand above parliament, have the right to delay any law passed by parliament, and even dissolve parliament. In the Soviet Union, the head of the state is not one person, but a collective, a collegium - the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This, in the words of Comrade Stalin, is the collegial president of the USSR.

Council of Ministers of the USSR. Ministries. The highest executive and administrative body of state power of the Soviet Union is the Government of the USSR, called: the Council of Ministers of the USSR. The Council of Ministers of the USSR is formed by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR at a joint meeting of both chambers. He is responsible to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and is accountable to it.

The Council of Ministers of the USSR is formed by the chairman of the Council of Ministers, his deputies, ministers of the USSR and chairmen of committees working under the Council of Ministers as ministries. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR is I.V. Stalin.

The Council of Ministers of the USSR issues decrees and orders on the basis of and in pursuance of existing laws and verifies compliance. The Council of Ministers of the USSR unites and directs the work of the ministries of the USSR, takes measures to implement the national economic plan, the state budget and strengthen the monetary system. The Council of Ministers takes measures to ensure public order, protect the interests of the state and protect the rights of citizens and exercises general leadership in the field of relations with foreign countries mi. He directs the overall development of the country's Armed Forces.

Ministries- these are bodies in charge of individual industries government controlled and national economy. They are divided into all-Union, Union-Republican and Republican.

All-Union ministries exist only on the scale of the USSR. They are in charge of such sectors of the national economy that are of all-Union importance and require their management from one center directly throughout the entire territory of the Soviet Union. The Constitution of the USSR classifies certain branches of heavy industry (ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, coal, oil industries, etc.) as such industries; means of transport; means of communication; foreign trade. Take, for example, the communications routes connecting all the republics and regions of our country, and you will easily understand why all-Union ministries are needed to manage such industries.

Union-republican ministries, that is, those that exist both on the scale of the USSR and in each union republic, are in charge of those sectors of the national economy and public administration of all-Union significance, the management of which from the center is advisable to carry out mainly through the ministries of the same name in the union republics. Such industries include food, forestry and other industries, Agriculture, domestic trade, etc.

The Armed Forces of the USSR, relations are subject to the jurisdiction of the Union-Republican ministries Soviet government with foreign countries, state security, government control, finance, healthcare and others.

Republican ministries are those ministries that exist only in the union republics. They are in charge of sectors of the national economy and public administration of republican significance. Such sectors of the Constitution of the Union Republics include local industry, public utilities, automobile transport, education, social security and others. Republican ministries are subordinate to the Council of Ministers of the Union Republic. IN autonomous republics there are also ministries.