The All-Union Congress of Soviets (russian: Всесоюзный съезд Советов), was the formal governing body of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
from its
formation (30 December 1922) until the adoption of its
second constitution.
The Congress of Soviets determined the general direction of all public bodies and elected the
All-Union Central Executive Committee, a body accountable to the Congress. The Central Executive Committee held most of the powers of the Congress of Soviets whenever the Congress was not in session. Initially, the Congress of Soviets was supposed to be the "supreme organ of power," with authority rivaling that of the Central Executive Committee or the
Council of People's Commissars
The Councils of People's Commissars (SNK; russian: Совет народных комиссаров (СНК), ''Sovet narodnykh kommissarov''), commonly known as the ''Sovnarkom'' (Совнарком), were the highest executive authorities of ...
, but increasingly infrequent sessions (anywhere between once every two years to every four years) and the
political dominance of the
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
resulted in its powers flowing into the
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier.
A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
and the
Politburo
A politburo () or political bureau is the executive committee for communist parties. It is present in most former and existing communist states.
Names
The term "politburo" in English comes from the Russian ''Politbyuro'' (), itself a contraction ...
. The power of the Congress further deteriorated with the
consolidation and centralization of power under Stalin, culminating in the permanent dissolution of the Congress of Soviets.
The responsibility that the CEC held towards the Congress was one of formality, and the Congress served as a
rubber-stamp
A rubber stamp is an image or pattern that has been carved, molded, laser engraved or vulcanized onto a sheet of rubber. Rubber stamping, also called stamping, is a craft in which some type of ink made of dye or pigment is applied to rubber ...
for policies and legislation.
History
Prior to the creation of the All-Union Congress of Soviets in 1922, the individual republics had grown closer towards each other and various republics had signed multiple treaties and well on their way to combining their strength. By the early 1920s, the
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
and the
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
,
Byelorussian, and
Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
Azerbaijan ( az, Азәрбајҹан, Azərbaycan, italics=no), officially the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijan SSR; az, Азәрбајҹан Совет Сосиалист Республикасы, Azərbaycan Sovet Sosialist R ...
s had taken steps to combine their economic and military strength, which led to a closer political relationship.
When the All-Union Congress was formed, the republics that comprised the new Union were the Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic (R.S.F.S.R), the Ukrainian and Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republics, and the Transcaucasian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic, which was formed by Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia.
During its tenure, more Soviet republics joined the Congress of Soviets. The Uzbek and Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republics were admitted in 1924, followed by the Tadzhik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which became a Union Republic in 1929.
Election
The Congress of Soviets of the Soviet Union was composed of representatives from the councils of all the Soviet republics on the following basis: from the City Council - 1 member per 25 thousand voters, from provincial (regional, territorial) and republic-level congresses - 1 member per 125 thousand residents. Delegates to the All-Union Congress were elected at the provincial (regional, territorial) autonomous republican
congresses of the Soviets, or (if republic did not have provincial (and then provincial, regional) congresses) - directly at the Congress of Soviets of the union republic.
Powers
The exclusive jurisdiction of the Congress of Soviets consists of:
* Rights to conclude treaties, conduct diplomatic relations, and declare war
* Establish a union citizenship
* Settle disputes between republics
* Coin money, establish postal services, and establish standard weights and measures
* Power to develop a general plan for the entire national economy
* Establish general principles for the development and use of soil, mineral deposits, forests, and bodies of water
* Power to direct transport, telegraph services, and foreign trade
* Responsibility of the establishment of new Republics to the Congress
* Amending of the Constitution of the USSR
The only chairman of the Presidium of the Congress was
Mikhail Kalinin
Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin (russian: link=no, Михаи́л Ива́нович Кали́нин ; 3 June 1946), known familiarly by Soviet citizens as "Kalinych", was a Soviet politician and Old Bolshevik revolutionary. He served as head of st ...
.
Congresses
First All-Union Congress of Soviets
The first congress was held on 30 December 1922 in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
with delegates from
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
, the
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...
, the
and the
Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR, or Byelorussian SSR; be, Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка, Bielaruskaja Savieckaja Sacyjalistyčnaja Respublika; russian: Белор� ...
. The Congress approved the
Treaty on the Creation of the USSR
hy, ԽՍՀՄ ձեւավորման մասին պայմանագիր az, SSRİ-nin formalaşması haqqında müqavilə ka, ხელშეკრულება სსრკ-ს ფორმირების შესახებ
, image ...
, the basis of the
1924 Soviet Constitution
The 1924 Constitution of the Soviet Union was the constitution of the Soviet Union adopted on 31 January 1924. According to Archie Brown the constitution was never an accurate guide to political reality in the USSR. For example, the fact that th ...
, and thus formally created the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
with the four as founding Union Republics.
Second Congress of the Soviets of the USSR
The Second Congress of the Soviets of the USSR was held in January 1924 to ratify the
1924 Constitution of the Soviet Union
The 1924 Constitution of the Soviet Union was the constitution of the Soviet Union adopted on 31 January 1924. According to Archie Brown the constitution was never an accurate guide to political reality in the USSR. For example, the fact that the ...
. The Constitution was submitted to the All-Union Congress of Soviets on 6 July 1923 for ratification upon the body's next meeting.
This meeting included a speech from Stalin. Stalin departed from orthodox Marxist rhetoric and drew on his own theological training. He said "Leaving us, comrade Lenin bequeathed to us the duty of holding high and keeping pure the great calling member of the party. We swear to thee, comrade Lenin, that we shall fulfil this thy commandment with honour."
Many oaths and honours were proclaimed to Lenin, who had just died a few days before the Second Congress began its session.
Third Congress of Soviets of the USSR
The Third Congress of Soviets was held in 1925.
Fourth Congress of Soviets of the USSR
The Fourth Congress of Soviets was held in 1927.
Fifth Congress of Soviets of the USSR
Sixth Congress of Soviets of the USSR
Seventh Congress of Soviets of the USSR
The Seventh Congress of Soviets of the USSR was held in February 1935, when Stalin introduced the proposal for constitutional reform. The proposal was initially discussed in the meeting of the
Central Committee of the Communist Party held before the Seventh Congress. The Congress voted "that the new constitution should incorporate some of the best features of parliamentary democracy, that the representation of urban and rural voters should be equalized, that voting should be secret and direct, and that the All-Union Central Executive Committee should appoint a constitutional commission to draft the new organic law."
Eighth Congress of Soviets of the USSR
The Extraordinary Eighth Congress of Soviets of the USSR was held from November 1936 to December 1936 to ratify the
1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union
Events
January–February
* January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
, thereby dissolving itself permanently and transferring its powers to the newly-established
Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( rus, Верховный Совет Союза Советских Социалистических Республик, r=Verkhovnyy Sovet Soyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respubl ...
. The All-Union Congress approved the Constitution, and also approved plans for the publication of copies of the Constitution and invited citizens to discuss the new changes to the Constitution.
References
{{Authority control
Congress of Soviets
Soviet law
Historical legislatures
1922 establishments in the Soviet Union
1937 disestablishments
Politics of the Soviet Union