The union of soviet socialist republics is a socialist state of workers and peasants. Constitution of the soviet union 1977, unamended wikisource. The russian constitution constitution fundamental law the russian socialist feder, ated soviet republic resolution of the 5th allrussian congress of soviets, adopted on july 10, 1918. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. Ssrs, nationalist movements cited articles 70 and 72 of the 1977 constitution to back their demands for greater autonomy or even independence. Smith seeks to explain how and why constitutional rights to welfare be. After all, the soviet constitution of 1936 was adopted on.
The new constitution of the ussr in action springerlink. The commission was quickly enlarged to 25, the rsfsr providing 14 members, the ukrainian ssr 5, and the transcaucasian and white russian ssr 3 each. Russian federations constitution of 1993 with amendments through 2008. Constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics with ammendments and additions adopted by the first, second, third, sixth, seventh and eighth sessions of the supreme soviet of the u. Citizens of the ussr are guaranteed freedom of conscience, that is, the right to profess or not to profess any religion, and to conduct religious worship or atheistic. The new soviet constitution of 1977 analysis and text. After all, the soviet constitution of 1936 was adopted on the eve of the great terror. By combining material and moral incentives and encouraging innovation and a creative attitude to work, the state helps transform labour into the. Constitution fundamenta law l of the union of soviet socialist republics adopted at the extraordinary eight congresh of soviets s of th u. Citizenship of the ussr equality of citizens rights. Of course, like most historical events, the seeds from which the war grew were planted much earlier, and this timeline starts.
This was in response to the submission of the project constitution by the general secretary. Constitution day of the ussr article about constitution. First of all, the present constitution symbolizes a rupture on both a substantive and a formal level. The 1977 constitution on october 7, 1977 the present ussr consti tution was adopted. The soviets of working peoples deputies, which grew and attained strength as a result of the overthrow of the landlords and capitalists and the achievement of the. From the soviet committee of constitutional supervision to. January 8, 20 by kelly buchanan the following is a guest post by peter roudik, director of the global legal research center and a specialist on the laws of eastern european and former soviet union jurisdictions. Theories and realities of modern soviet constitutional law. The soviet unions constitution was much better than ours.
It is the duty of, and a matter of honour for, every ablebodied citizen of the ussr to. Constitution of the ussr 1977 constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics adopted at the seventh special session of the supreme soviet of the ussr, ninth convocation, on october 7, 1977 novosti press agency publishing house moscow, 1985 constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics the. Foreign relations of the united states, 19771980, volume. Constitution of the russian federation adopted by referendum on. The constitution of the russian soviet federative socialist republic. To the western student of soviet constitutional law, however, the adoption of the longawaited 8 ussr constitution of 1977 will.
These have included unusual laws, littleknown laws, and laws that were never implemented. The official name of the constitution was constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics russian. Citizens of the ussr are obliged to observe the constitution of the ussr and soviet laws, comply with the standards of socialist conduct, and uphold the honour and dignity of soviet citizenship. The soviet socialist constitution by soviet union abebooks. The bill of rights of the former evil empire, the union of soviet socialist republics, was much better than ours. For another interesting study of the 1977 soviet constitution, see osakwe, the. Let us first recall that the 1977 ussr constitution proclaimed, in. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves. Jun 11, 2014 the soviet constitutions of 1936 and 1977 defined a wide range of social rights. It was formed on the principles of equality and the voluntary affiliation of the peoples of the u. Constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet. What the soviet constitution says about freedom and religion. The union of soviet socialist republics, as you know, was formed in 1922, at the first congress of soviets of the u. The westward expansion of the ussr 1977 wilson center.
The constitutions of the soviet union were three versions of the constitution of the union of. Mar 16, 2020 the kennan institute is the premier u. Soviet republics in international law sciencedirect. Constitution of the ussr 1977 constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics adopted at the seventh special session of the supreme soviet of the ussr, ninth convocation, on october 7, 1977 novosti press agency publishing house moscow, 1985 constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics the great october socialist revolution, made by the. The following is a guest post by peter roudik, director of the global legal research center and a specialist on the laws of eastern european and former soviet union jurisdictions in previous posts, my colleagues have discussed different types of laws from various countries. Part ix legal force and amendments article 173 the constitution of the ussr shall have supreme legal force. The declaration of rights of the labouring and exploited people approved by the third allrussian congress of soviets in january 1918, together with the constitution of the soviet republic, approved by the fifth congress, constitutes a single fundamental law of the russian socialist federated soviet republic. The unification of the soviet republics in the union of soviet socialist. Stalins constitution guaranteed the people the right to work, the right to rest and leisure no overtime, maintenance in old age social security, right to education, economic. Constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics. Citizens of the ussr are guaranteed freedom of conscience, that is, the right to profess or not to profess any. Thus constitution is an attempt to construct politics, both institutionally and rhetorically.
The 1977 ussr constitution uc hastings scholarship. Outside the system file, box 69, union of soviet socialist republics ussr. The sovereignty of the ussr extends throughout its territory. The constitution now in force, adopted in 1924, was the first constitution of the u.
Sidney and beatrice webb, 1937 many who lauded stalins soviet union as the most democratic country on earth lived to regret their words. Constitution of the union of soviet socialist republics 1977. Constitution of 1936 the soviet constitution of 1936, also known as the stalin constitution, was approved by the eighth congress of soviets and became law on december 5, 1936. The capital of the union of soviet socialist republics is the city of moscow. Foreign relations of the united states, 19771980, volume vi. Department of state, office of the secretariat staff, special adviser to the secretary sms on soviet affairs marshall shulman jan 21, 77jan 19, 81, lot 81d109, box 8, vance to moscow, 32830, 1977. The stalin constitution seventeen moments in soviet history. Treaty on the creation of the soviet union signed, sealed, and delivered. Uniform federal citizenship is established for the ussr.
Yet the soviet union was a dictatorship, and even in the 1970s internal and external critics alike denied the existence of any form of rights there. This is the constitution and fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics as adopted at the seventh special session of the supreme council of the ussr ninth convocation on 7 october 1977. O n january 10, 1923, the presidium of the new vtsik elected by the first allunion congress of soviets appointed a commission of to draft the terms of the constitution. It is the basis on which the territorial administrative divisions, the system of state agencies, etc. There were three versions of the constitution of the union of soviet socialist republics, modeled after the 1918 constitution established by the russian soviet federative socialist republic rsfsr, the immediate predecessor of the soviet union. The state anthem of the union of soviet socialist republics is confirmed by the presidium of the supreme soviet of the ussr. Party, the interests of the ussr increasingly merged with those of the rsfsr. The breakup of the ussr and the resurgence of national identities. The declaration of rights of the labouring and exploited people approved by the third allrussian congress of soviets in january 1918, together with the constitution of the soviet republic, approved by the fifth congress, constitutes a single fundamental law of the russian socialist federated soviet republic this fundamental law. At the seventh special session of the supreme soviet of the ussr ninth convocation on october 7, 1977, the third and last soviet constitution, also known as the brezhnev constitution, was unanimously adopted. Federalism and the soviet constitution of 1977 uw law digital. Treaty on the creation of the soviet union signed, sealed. The soviet constitutions of 1936 and 1977 defined a wide range of social rights. The 1977 constitution of the soviet union, officially the constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics, was the constitution of the.
If the ussr had lived up to its constitution it would have been the greatest nation on the planet. The constitution of the soviet union promises its citizens freedom of conscience and religion, as is obvious in this statement from article 52 of the soviet constitution. Soviet constitution was adopted by the supreme soviet of the ussr on. Includes constitution of 1977 translated into english. The soviet constitution of 1936, also known as the stalin constitution, was approved by the eighth congress of soviets and became law on december 5, 1936. If the ussr had lived up to its constitution it would have been the greatest nation on the planet, though im sure thomas paine said much the same about frenchs. An analysis of the 1977 ussr constitution into communism,7 that is, into a free association of workers in which there will be no governmental influence and no state constitution. The territory of the union of soviet socialist republics is a single entity and comprises the territories of the union republics. The 1977 constitution was repealed upon the dissolution of the soviet union on 21 december 1991 and the postsoviet states adopted. The 1977 constitution was repealed upon the dissolution of the soviet union on 21 december 1991 and the post soviet states adopted. From the soviet committee of constitutional supervision to the russian constitutional court introduction in june 1988 the 19th party conference of the communist party of the soviet union cpsu recognized the need to develop a socialist state under the rule of law and consequently approved the introduction of a. The new soviet constitution of 1977 analysis and text sharlet, robert on. Feb 20, 2020 this is the constitution and fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics as adopted at the seventh special session of the supreme council of the ussr ninth convocation on 7 october 1977.
Constitution of the union of socialist soviet republics january 1924 abridged part i declaration since the foundation of the soviet republics, the states of the world have been divided into two camps. Soviet union started legal moves towards or even declaration of sovereignty over their territories, citing article 72 of the ussr constitution, which stated that perestroika restructuring poster featuring soviet leader mikhail gorbachev. The evolution of the soviet constitution university center for. The official russian language text of the 1977 ussr constitution was. Excerpts from the constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics october 7, 1977. The soviet unions constitution was much better than. Many held their first free elections in the soviet era for their own national legislatures in. Adopted at the seventh special session of the supreme soviet of the ussr ninth convocation on october 7, 1977 preamble.
Constitution established by the russian socialist federative soviet republic, the immediate predecessor of the union of soviet socialist republics. Let us first recall that the 1977 ussr constitution proclaimed, in article 6, the role of the communist party of the soviet union 1 in leading and guiding soviet society. Speaking of its content, the 1993 russian constitution puts an end to the socialist regime. This constitution remained in force until 1977 when leonid brezhnev based his new brezhnev constitution on the 1936 document.
An example of the latter includes the 1977 constitution introducing an. The union of soviet socialist republics abbreviated. What the soviet constitution says about freedom and. Constitution established by the russian socialist federative soviet republic, the immediate predecessor of. Soviet constitutional structures were formulated by successive heads of the. Article 172 the capital of the union of soviet socialist republics is the city of moscow. Foreign relations of the united states, 19771980, volume vi, soviet union. The 1924 soviet constitution with additional articles on trade unions and social insurance in russia hx15.
In the late 1980s, constituent republics of the soviet union started asserting sovereignty over their territories or even declaring independence, citing article 72 of the ussr constitution, which stated that any constituent republic was free to secede. Russian federations constitution of 1993 with amendments. T he declaration of rights the laboring and exploited peo ple approved by the third allrussian congress of soviets. A constitution is the general plan for the organization and functioning of the state. The cold war was fought in the aftermath of world war two, from the collapse of the wartime alliance between the angloamerican led allies and the ussr to the collapse of the ussr itself, with the most common dates for these identified as 1945 to 1991.