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The Council of People's Commissars of 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 ...
was the
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...
of Soviet Russia in 1917–1946. It was established by the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers', Soldiers', and Peasants' Deputies on November 7, 1917 "as an interim workers' and peasants' government" under the name of the Council of People's Commissars, which was used before the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic of 1918. Since 1918, the formation of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic was the prerogative of the
All-Russian Central Executive Committee The All-Russian Central Executive Committee ( rus, Всероссийский Центральный Исполнительный Комитет, Vserossiysky Centralny Ispolnitelny Komitet, VTsIK) was the highest legislative, administrative and r ...
, and since 1937, the Supreme Council of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was formed from the people's commissars – the leaders of the
People's Commissariat A People's Commissariat (russian: народный комиссариат; Narkomat) was a structure in the Soviet state (in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, in other union and autonomous republics, in the Soviet Union) from 1917– ...
s of Soviet Russia – headed by the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Similar Councils of People's Commissars were created in other Soviet republics. By the law of the Soviet Union of March 15, 1946 and the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of March 23 of the same year,"The Supreme Bodies of State Power and Central Government Bodies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1917–1967). Handbook (Based on Materials From State Archives)" (Prepared by the Central State Archive of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic), Chapter I, Section "Government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic" the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was transformed into the Council of Ministers of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.


Origin of name

In his memoirs,
Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...
ascribes the name "Council of People's Commissars" to himself. According to the memoirs of
Vladimir Milyutin Vladimir Pavlovich Milyutin (Russian: Влади́мир Па́влович Милю́тин; 5 September 1884 – 30 October 1937) was a Russian Bolshevik leader, Soviet statesman, economist and statistician who was People's Commissar for Agricu ...
, the name "People's Commissar" was proposed by Trotsky, and
Kamenev Lev Borisovich Kamenev. (''né'' Rozenfeld; – 25 August 1936) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a prominent Soviet politician. Born in Moscow to parents who were both involved in revolutionary politics, Kamenev attended Imperial Moscow Un ...
proposed the government as the "Council of People's Commissars". Some have also claimed that the authorship of the term was first coined by
Vladimir Antonov-Ovseyenko Vladimir Alexandrovich Antonov-Ovseenko (russian: Влади́мир Алекса́ндрович Анто́нов-Овсе́енко; ua, Володимир Антонов-Овсєєнко; 9 March 1883 – 10 February 1938), real surna ...
. At the same time, from Lenin's notes written no later than October 25, 1917: It follows that the name "
commissars Commissar (or sometimes ''Kommissar'') is an English transliteration of the Russian (''komissar''), which means 'commissary'. In English, the transliteration ''commissar'' often refers specifically to the political commissars of Soviet and Eas ...
" (etymologically "the heads of commissions"), as a replacement for the term "ministers", even earlier appeared in the outline of the organization of a new apparatus of government of the future head of the Council of People's Commissars. In the same document, it was planned to create other central government bodies in the rank of commissions (commissions of a revolutionary order, commissions of legislative assumptions, and a number of commissions in various branches of the state life of the country).


History

Immediately before the seizure of power on the day of the revolution, the Central Committee of the Bolsheviks instructed Kamenev and Berzin to make political contact with the Left Socialist Revolutionaries and begin negotiations with them on the composition of the future government. During the work of the Second Congress of Soviets, the Bolsheviks proposed that the Left Socialist Revolutionaries enter the government, but they refused. The factions of the Right Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks left the Second Congress of Soviets at the very beginning of its work – before the formation of the government. The Bolsheviks were forced to form a one-party government. The Council of People's Commissars was formed in accordance with the
Decree on the Establishment of the Council of People's Commissars
adopted by the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies on October 27, 1917. The decree began with the words: The Council of People's Commissars lost the character of an interim governing body after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, which was legislated by the Constitution of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic of 1918. The
All-Russian Central Executive Committee The All-Russian Central Executive Committee ( rus, Всероссийский Центральный Исполнительный Комитет, Vserossiysky Centralny Ispolnitelny Komitet, VTsIK) was the highest legislative, administrative and r ...
received the right to form the Council of People's Commissars; the Council of People's Commissars was the general management body for the affairs of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic authorized to issue decrees, and the All-Russian Central Executive Committee was entitled to cancel or suspend any decision or decision of the Council of People's Commissars. The issues considered by the Council of People's Commissars were decided by a simple majority of votes. The meetings were attended by members of the government, chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, executive manager and secretaries of the Council of People's Commissars, representatives of departments. The permanent working body of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic was the Department of Affairs, which prepared questions for meetings of the Council of People's Commissars and its standing commissions, and received delegations. The staff of the executive administration in 1921 consisted of 135 people (according to the Central State Archive of the October Revolution of the Soviet Union). By the law of the Soviet Union of March 15, 1946 and the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of March 23, 1946, the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was transformed into the Council of Ministers of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. On March 18, the last decree of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was issued with the name "Council of People's Commissars". On February 25, 1947, the corresponding amendments were made to the Constitution of the Soviet Union, and on March 13, 1948, the Constitution of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.


Legislative framework of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

According to the Constitution of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic of July 10, 1918, the activities of the Council of People's Commissars consisted of: *Management of the general affairs of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic; *The management of individual branches of management (Articles 35, 37); *The promulgation of legislative acts and the adoption of measures "necessary for the correct and rapid course of public life" (Article 38). The Council of People's Commissars informed the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of all decisions and decisions adopted (Article 39), which had the right to suspend and annul a resolution or decision of the Council of People's Commissars (Article 40). It was created 18 people's commissariats. The following is a list of People's Commissariats of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic according to the Constitution of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic of July 10, 1918:"The Constitution (Basic Law) of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic" (adopted by the 5th All-Russian Congress of Soviets on July 10, 1918)
*Of Foreign Affairs; *Of Military Affairs; *Of Maritime Affairs; *Of Domestic Affairs; *Justice; *Labour; *Social Security; *Enlightenment; *Mail and Telegraphs; *Of National Affairs; *Of Financial Affairs; *Ways of Communication; *Agriculture; *Trade and Industry; *Food; *State Control; *Supreme Council of the National Economy; *Health Care.
At each people's commissar and under his chairmanship, a collegium was formed, the members of which were approved by the Council of People's Commissars (Article 44). The People's Commissar had the right to single-handedly make decisions on all issues under the jurisdiction of the commissariat led by him, bringing them to the attention of the board (Article 45). With the formation 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 ...
in December 1922 and the creation of an all-Union government, the Council of People's Commissars of the
Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
became the executive and administrative body of state power of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic. The organization, composition, competence and procedure of the Council of People's Commissars were determined by the Constitution of the Soviet Union of 1924 and the Constitution of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic of 1925. From that moment, the composition of the Council of People's Commissars was changed in connection with the transfer of a number of powers to the Union departments. 11 republican people's commissariats were established:
*Domestic Trade; *Labour; *Finance; *Workers and Peasants Inspection; *Internal Affairs; *Justice; *Enlightenment; *Health Care; *Agriculture; *Social Security; *Supreme Council of the National Economy.
The Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic now included with a decisive or deliberative vote authorized representatives of the People's Commissariats of the Soviet Union under the Government of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic. The Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, in turn, allocated a permanent representative to the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union (according to information to the Legislative Assembly, 1924, No. 70, Article 691). Since February 22, 1924, the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union had a single Office of Affairs (based on materials from the Central State Archive of the October Revolution of the Soviet Union). With the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of January 21, 1937, the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was accountable only to the Supreme Council of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, between its sessions, to the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Since October 5, 1937, the composition of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic totaled 13 people's commissariats (data from the Central State Archive of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic):
*Food Industry; *Light Industry; *Forest Industry; *Agriculture; *Grain Soviet Farms; *Livestock Soviet Farms; *Finance; *Domestic Trade; *Justice; *Health Care; *Enlightenment; *Local Industry; *Communal Economy; *Social Security.
The Council of People's Commissars also included the chairman of the State Planning Committee of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the head of the Department of Arts under the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.


First composition of the Council of People's Commissars of Soviet Russia

*Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars –
Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1 ...
; *People's Commissar of Internal Affairs –
Alexey Rykov Alexei Ivanovich Rykov (25 February 188115 March 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet politician and statesman, most prominent as premier of Russia and the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1929 and 1924 to 1930 respectively. He was ...
; *People's Commissar of Agriculture –
Vladimir Milyutin Vladimir Pavlovich Milyutin (Russian: Влади́мир Па́влович Милю́тин; 5 September 1884 – 30 October 1937) was a Russian Bolshevik leader, Soviet statesman, economist and statistician who was People's Commissar for Agricu ...
; *People's Commissar of Labour – Alexander Shlyapnikov; *People's Commissariat of Military and Naval Affairs – the committee, composed of: Vladimir Ovseenko (Antonov) (in the text of the Decree on the Formation of the Council of People's Commissars – Avseenko),
Nikolai Krylenko Nikolai Vasilyevich Krylenko ( rus, Никола́й Васи́льевич Крыле́нко, p=krɨˈlʲenkə; May 2, 1885 – July 29, 1938) was an Old Bolshevik and Soviet politician. Krylenko served in a variety of posts in the Soviet ...
and
Pavel Dybenko Pavel Efimovich Dybenko (russian: Павел Ефимович Дыбенко), (February 16, 1889 – July 29, 1938) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a leading Soviet officer and military commander. Prior to military service Pavel Dybenko was b ...
; *People's Commissar of Trade and Industry –
Victor Nogin The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...
; *People's Commissar of Public Education –
Anatoly Lunacharsky Anatoly Vasilyevich Lunacharsky (russian: Анато́лий Васи́льевич Лунача́рский) (born Anatoly Aleksandrovich Antonov, – 26 December 1933) was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Bolshevik Soviet People ...
; *People's Commissar of Finance – Ivan Skvortsov (Stepanov); *People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs – Lev Bronstein (Trotsky); *People's Commissar of Justice –
Georgy Oppokov Georgy Ippolitovich Oppokov (russian: Гео́ргий Ипполи́тович Оппо́ков; also known as Afanasi Lomov) (28 January 1888 – 2 September 1937) was a prominent Bolshevik leader, Soviet politician and the first People's Commis ...
; *People's Commissar of Food – Ivan Theodorovich; *People's Commissar of Posts and Telegraphs – Nikolai Avilov (Glebov); *People's Commissar of Nationalities –
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as Ge ...
; *The post of People's Commissar of Rail Affairs remained temporarily not replaced. The vacant post of People's Commissar for Rail Affairs later took Mark Elizarov. On November 12, in addition to the Decree establishing the Council of People's Commissars,
Alexandra Kollontai Alexandra Mikhailovna Kollontai (russian: Алекса́ндра Миха́йловна Коллонта́й, née Domontovich, Домонто́вич;  – 9 March 1952) was a Russian revolutionary, politician, diplomat and Marxist the ...
, the first woman minister in the world, was appointed People's Commissar of State Charity. On November 19, Edward Essen was appointed Commissar of State Control. The historical first composition of the Council of People's Commissars was formed in the context of a tough struggle for power. In connection with the demarche of the executive committee of the railway trade union,
Vikzhel The All-Russian Executive Committee of the Union of Railwaymen (Russian: ''Всероссийский исполнительный комитет железнодорожного профсоюза),'' commonly known in English by its Cyrillic acron ...
, who did not recognize the
October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key mom ...
, and demanded the formation of a "homogeneous socialist government" of representatives of all socialist parties, the post of People's Commissar of Rail Affairs remained unsubstituted. Subsequently, in January 1918, the Bolsheviks managed to split the railway union by forming the Vikzhedor Executive Committee parallel to Vikzhel, which consisted mainly of Bolsheviks and Left Socialist Revolutionaries. By March 1918, Vikzhel's resistance was finally broken, and the main powers of both Vikzhel and Vikzhedor were transferred to the People's Commissariat of Railways. The People's Commissariat of Military and Naval Affairs was formed as a collegium, composed of Antonov-Ovseenko, Krylenko, Dybenko. By April 1918, this committee virtually ceased to exist. According to the memoirs of the first People's Commissar of Education
Anatoly Lunacharsky Anatoly Vasilyevich Lunacharsky (russian: Анато́лий Васи́льевич Лунача́рский) (born Anatoly Aleksandrovich Antonov, – 26 December 1933) was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Bolshevik Soviet People ...
, the first composition of the Council of People's Commissars was largely random, and the discussion of the list was accompanied by Lenin's comments: "if we are unsuitable, we will be able to change". As the first People's Commissar of Justice, the Bolshevik Lomov (
Georgy Oppokov Georgy Ippolitovich Oppokov (russian: Гео́ргий Ипполи́тович Оппо́ков; also known as Afanasi Lomov) (28 January 1888 – 2 September 1937) was a prominent Bolshevik leader, Soviet politician and the first People's Commis ...
) wrote, his knowledge of justice included mainly detailed knowledge of the Tsar's prisons with the features of the regime, "we knew where they beat, how they beat, where and how they put in punishment cells, but we didn't know how to rule the state". Many People's Commissars of the first composition of the Council of People's Commissars of Soviet Russia were repressed in the 1930s.


Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

*
Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1 ...
(November 9, 1917 – January 21, 1924; after the assassination attempt on Lenin, in August–September 1918, the duties of the chairman were performed by
Yakov Sverdlov Yakov Mikhailovich Sverdlov (russian: Яков Михайлович Свердлов; 3 June Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O._S._22_May.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Style dates">O. S ...
); *
Alexey Rykov Alexei Ivanovich Rykov (25 February 188115 March 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet politician and statesman, most prominent as premier of Russia and the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1929 and 1924 to 1930 respectively. He was ...
(February 2, 1924 – May 18, 1929); * Sergey Syrtsov (May 18, 1929 – November 3, 1930); * Daniil Sulimov (November 3, 1930 – July 22, 1937); *
Nikolai Bulganin Nikolai Alexandrovich Bulganin (russian: Никола́й Алекса́ндрович Булга́нин; – 24 February 1975) was a Soviet politician who served as Minister of Defense (1953–1955) and Premier of the Soviet Union (1955–19 ...
(July 22, 1937 – September 17, 1938); * Vasily Vakhrushev (July 29, 1939 – June 2, 1940); *
Ivan Khokhlov Ivan Sergeyevich Khokhlov (russian: Иван Серге́евич Хохлов; 28 May 1895 – 11 February 1973) was a Soviet-Russian statesman who was from 1940 to 1943 the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR, lit ...
(June 2, 1940 – June 23, 1943); *
Konstantin Pamfilov Konstantin Pamfilov (russian: Памфилов, Константин Дмитриевич; 25 May 1901 – 2 May 1943) was a Soviet statesman. Born in the village Mamonovo in the Dukhovshchinsky Uyezd of Smolensk Governorate in the family of an acc ...
(acting from May 5, 1942, to May 2, 1943); *
Alexei Kosygin Alexei Nikolayevich Kosygin ( rus, Алексе́й Никола́евич Косы́гин, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej nʲɪkɐˈla(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ kɐˈsɨɡʲɪn; – 18 December 1980) was a Soviet statesman during the Cold War. He served as the Premi ...
(June 23, 1943 – March 15, 1946).


People's Commissars

Vice-chairmen: *
Alexey Rykov Alexei Ivanovich Rykov (25 February 188115 March 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet politician and statesman, most prominent as premier of Russia and the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1929 and 1924 to 1930 respectively. He was ...
(end of May 1921 – ?); * Alexander Tsyurupa (December 5, 1921 – ?); *
Lev Kamenev Lev Borisovich Kamenev. (''né'' Rozenfeld; – 25 August 1936) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a prominent Soviet politician. Born in Moscow to parents who were both involved in revolutionary politics, Kamenev attended Imperial Moscow Uni ...
(January 1922 – ?); * Turar Ryskulov (June 1926 – May 1937).
Foreign Affairs ''Foreign Affairs'' is an American magazine of international relations and U.S. foreign policy published by the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy a ...
: *
Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...
(November 8, 1917 – April 8, 1918); *
Georgy Chicherin Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin (24 November 1872 – 7 July 1936), also spelled Tchitcherin, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and a Soviet politician who served as the first People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs in the Soviet government from ...
(May 30, 1918 – July 6, 1923); * Anatoly Lavrentiev (1944 – March 15, 1946). Military and Naval Affairs: *
Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko Vladimir Alexandrovich Antonov-Ovseenko (russian: Влади́мир Алекса́ндрович Анто́нов-Овсе́енко; ua, Володимир Антонов-Овсєєнко; 9 March 1883 – 10 February 1938), real surna ...
(November 8, 1917 – ?); * Nikolay Krylenko (November 8, 1917 – ?); *
Pavel Dybenko Pavel Efimovich Dybenko (russian: Павел Ефимович Дыбенко), (February 16, 1889 – July 29, 1938) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a leading Soviet officer and military commander. Prior to military service Pavel Dybenko was b ...
(November 8, 1917 – March 18, 1918); * Nikolay Podvoisky (November 1917 – March 1918); *
Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...
(April 8, 1918 – January 26, 1925). Internal Affairs: *
Alexey Rykov Alexei Ivanovich Rykov (25 February 188115 March 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet politician and statesman, most prominent as premier of Russia and the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1929 and 1924 to 1930 respectively. He was ...
(November 8, 1917 – November 17, 1917); *
Grigory Petrovsky Grigory Ivanovich Petrovsky (russian: Григо́рий Ива́нович Петро́вский, uk, Григо́рій Іва́нович Петро́вський, translit=Hryhorii Ivanovych Petrovskyi) (3 February 1878 - 9 January 1958) wa ...
(November 30, 1917 – March 25, 1919); *
Felix Dzerzhinsky Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky ( pl, Feliks Dzierżyński ; russian: Фе́ликс Эдму́ндович Дзержи́нский; – 20 July 1926), nicknamed "Iron Felix", was a Bolshevik revolutionary and official, born into Polish nobility ...
(March 30, 1919 – July 6, 1923). Justice: * Georgy Lomov-Oppokov (November 8, 1917 – November 16, 1917); * Peter Stuchka (November 16, 1917 – December 9, 1917); * Isaac Steinberg (December 9, 1917 – March 18, 1918); * Peter Stuchka (March 18, 1918 – August 22, 1918); *
Dmitry Kursky Dmitry Ivanovich Kursky (russian: Дми́трий Ива́нович Ку́рский; – 20 December 1932) was a Russian Soviet jurist and statesman. Kursky joined the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1904. ...
(August 22, 1918 – 1928). Labour: * Alexander Shlyapnikov (November 8, 1917 – October 8, 1918); *
Vasily Schmidt Vasily Vladimirovich Schmidt (Russian: Василий Владимирович Шмидт; December 17, 1886 – July 28, 1938) was a Bolshevik politician, and later a Soviet statesman. Born in Saint Petersburg to a German Russian working-class f ...
(October 8, 1918 – November 4, 1919 and April 26, 1920 – November 29, 1920). State Charity (from April 26, 1918 – Social Security; People's Commissariat of Social Security on November 4, 1919, combined with the People's Commissariat of Labor, on April 26, 1920, divided): *
Alexandra Kollontai Alexandra Mikhailovna Kollontai (russian: Алекса́ндра Миха́йловна Коллонта́й, née Domontovich, Домонто́вич;  – 9 March 1952) was a Russian revolutionary, politician, diplomat and Marxist the ...
(November 12, 1917 – March 1918); * Alexander Vinokurov (March 1918 – November 4, 1919; April 26, 1919 – April 16, 1921); * Nikolai Milyutin (Acting People's Commissar, June – July 6, 1921). Enlightenment: *
Anatoly Lunacharsky Anatoly Vasilyevich Lunacharsky (russian: Анато́лий Васи́льевич Лунача́рский) (born Anatoly Aleksandrovich Antonov, – 26 December 1933) was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Bolshevik Soviet People ...
(November 8, 1917 – September 12, 1929). Mail and Telegraphs: * Nikolai Glebov (Avilov) (November 8, 1917 – December 22, 1917); * Prosh Proshyan (December 22, 1917 – March 18, 1918); * Vadim Podbelsky (April 11, 1918 – February 25, 1920); *
Artemy Lyubovich Artemy (Artyom) Moiseevich Lyubovich (October 29, 1880, Zhitomir, Volhynian Governorate – June 28, 1938, Minsk) was a Soviet statesman, participant in the revolutionary movement, People's Commissar of Posts and Telegraphs of the Russian Sociali ...
(March 24 – May 26, 1921); * Valerian Dovgalevsky (May 26, 1921 – July 6, 1923). Nationalities: *
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as Ge ...
(November 8, 1917 – July 6, 1923). Finance: *
Ivan Skvortsov-Stepanov Ivan Ivanovich Skvortsov-Stepanov (russian: Ива́н Ива́нович Скворцо́в-Степа́нов, 24 February 1870 – 8 October 1928) was a prominent Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet politician. Skvortsov-Stepanov was one ...
(November 8, 1917 – November 12, 1917); *
Vyacheslav Menzhinsky Vyacheslav Rudolfovich Menzhinsky (russian: Вячесла́в Рудо́льфович Менжи́нский, pl, Wiesław Mężyński; 19 August 1874 – 10 May 1934) was a Polish-Russian Bolshevik revolutionary, Soviet statesman and Communis ...
(November 12, 1917 – March 21, 1918); * Isidor Gukovsky (April – August 16, 1918); *
Nikolay Krestinsky Nikolay Nikolayevich Krestinsky (russian: Никола́й Никола́евич Крести́нский; 13 October 1883 – 15 March 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet politician who served as the Responsible Sec ...
(August 16, 1918 – October 1922); *
Grigory Sokolnikov Grigori Yakovlevich Sokolnikov (born Hirsch Brilliant or Girsh Yankelevich Brilliant; 1888–1939) was a Russian Old Bolshevik revolutionary, economist, and Soviet politician. Early career Grigori Sokolnikov was born Girsh Yankelevich Brillia ...
(November 23, 1922 – January 16, 1923). Ways of Communication: * Mark Elizarov (November 21, 1917 – January 20, 1918); *Alexey Rogov (February 24, 1918 – May 9, 1918); * Peter Kobozev (May 9, 1918 – June 1918); *
Vladimir Nevsky Vladimir Ivanovich Nevsky (Russian: Влади́мир Ива́нович Не́вский; 14 May Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O.S._2_May.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/> O.S._2_May">Old_Style_and_New_Style_ ...
(July 25, 1918 – March 15, 1919); *
Leonid Krasin Leonid Borisovich Krasin (russian: Леони́д Бори́сович Кра́син; 15 July 1870 – 24 November 1926) was a Russian Soviet politician, engineer, social entrepreneur, Bolshevik revolutionary politician and a Soviet diplomat. In ...
(March 30, 1919 – March 20, 1920); *
Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...
(March 20, 1920 – December 10, 1920); *Alexander Emshanov (December 20, 1920 – April 14, 1921); *
Felix Dzerzhinsky Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky ( pl, Feliks Dzierżyński ; russian: Фе́ликс Эдму́ндович Дзержи́нский; – 20 July 1926), nicknamed "Iron Felix", was a Bolshevik revolutionary and official, born into Polish nobility ...
(April 14, 1921 – July 6, 1923). Agriculture: *
Vladimir Milyutin Vladimir Pavlovich Milyutin (Russian: Влади́мир Па́влович Милю́тин; 5 September 1884 – 30 October 1937) was a Russian Bolshevik leader, Soviet statesman, economist and statistician who was People's Commissar for Agricu ...
(November 8, 1917 – November 17, 1917); * Andrey Kolegaev (December 7, 1917 – March 18, 1918); *
Semyon Sereda Semyon Pafnutyevich Sereda (russian: Семён Пафнутьевич Середа; 1 February 1871 – 21 May 1933) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet politician. He was the son of a railway employee. From 1896 to 1917 he worked as ...
(April 3, 1918 – February 10, 1921); *
Valerian Obolensky Valerian Valerianovich Obolensky (Russian: Валериа́н Валериа́нович Оболе́нский; 25 March 1887 – 1 September 1938) (who worked under the pseudonym Nikolai Osinsky) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary, Marxist th ...
(Deputy People's Commissar, March 24, 1921 – January 18, 1922); *Vasily Yakovenko (January 18, 1922 – July 7, 1923). Trade and Industry: *
Victor Nogin The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...
(November 8, 1917 – November 17, 1917); * Alexander Shlyapnikov (December 2, 1917 – January 1918); * Vladimir Smirnov (February 7, 1918 – March 18, 1918); * Mechislav Bronsky (March 18, 1918 – November 12, 1918); *
Leonid Krasin Leonid Borisovich Krasin (russian: Леони́д Бори́сович Кра́син; 15 July 1870 – 24 November 1926) was a Russian Soviet politician, engineer, social entrepreneur, Bolshevik revolutionary politician and a Soviet diplomat. In ...
(November 12, 1918 – July 6, 1923). Food: * Ivan Theodorovich (November 8, 1917 – December 31, 1917); *
Alexander Schlichter Alexander Grigorievich Schlichter (Ukrainian: Александр Григорьевич Шлихтер; 1 September, 1868 – 2 December, 1940) was a Ukrainian Bolshevik politician, Soviet statesman, political scientist and economist. Schlichter ...
(December 31, 1917 – February 25, 1918); * Alexander Tsyurupa (February 25, 1918 – December 12, 1921); *
Nikolai Bryukhanov Nikolai Pavlovich Bryukhanov; sometimes transliterated as ''Briukhanov''. (party aliases Andrey and Andrey Simbirsky; literary alias N. Pavlov; December 28, 1878 - September 1, 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik, Soviet statesman and political figure w ...
(December 12, 1921 – July 6, 1923). State Control of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic: *Eduard Essen (December 2, 1917 – May 1918); *Karl Lander (May 9, 1918 – March 25, 1919); *
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as Ge ...
(March 30, 1919 – February 7, 1920). Health: * Nikolay Semashko (July 11, 1918 – January 25, 1930).
Workers and Peasants Inspection The People's Commissariat of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection, also known as Rabkrin (; РКИ, RKI; Workers' and Peasants' Inspectorate, WPI) was a governmental establishment in the Soviet Union of ministerial level (people's commissariat) re ...
: *
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as Ge ...
(February 24, 1920 – April 25, 1922); * Alexander Tsyurupa (April 25, 1922 – July 6, 1923). State Property: *
Vladimir Karelin Vladimir Aleksandrovich Karelin (February 23, 1891 – September 22, 1938) was a Russian revolutionary, one of the organizers of the Left Socialist Revolutionary Party and a member of its Central Committee, People's Commissar of Property of the ...
(December 22, 1917 – March 18, 1918); *Pavel Malinovsky (March 18, 1918 – July 11, 1918). Local Government: *Vladimir Trutovsky (January 1, 1918 – March 18, 1918).
Supreme Council of the National Economy Supreme Board of the National Economy, Superior Board of the People's Economy, (Высший совет народного хозяйства, ВСНХ, ''Vysshiy sovet narodnogo khozyaystva'', VSNKh) was the superior state institution for managem ...
(chairpersons): *
Valerian Obolensky Valerian Valerianovich Obolensky (Russian: Валериа́н Валериа́нович Оболе́нский; 25 March 1887 – 1 September 1938) (who worked under the pseudonym Nikolai Osinsky) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary, Marxist th ...
(December 15, 1917 – March 22, 1918); *
Alexey Rykov Alexei Ivanovich Rykov (25 February 188115 March 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet politician and statesman, most prominent as premier of Russia and the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1929 and 1924 to 1930 respectively. He was ...
(April 3, 1918 – May 28, 1921); *
Vladimir Milyutin Vladimir Pavlovich Milyutin (Russian: Влади́мир Па́влович Милю́тин; 5 September 1884 – 30 October 1937) was a Russian Bolshevik leader, Soviet statesman, economist and statistician who was People's Commissar for Agricu ...
(interim) (March 23 – May 28, 1921); *Peter Bogdanov (May 28, 1921 – May 9, 1923); *
Alexey Rykov Alexei Ivanovich Rykov (25 February 188115 March 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet politician and statesman, most prominent as premier of Russia and the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1929 and 1924 to 1930 respectively. He was ...
(May 9, 1923 – February 2, 1924); *
Felix Dzerzhinsky Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky ( pl, Feliks Dzierżyński ; russian: Фе́ликс Эдму́ндович Дзержи́нский; – 20 July 1926), nicknamed "Iron Felix", was a Bolshevik revolutionary and official, born into Polish nobility ...
(February 2, 1924 – July 20, 1926); *
Semyon Lobov Semyon Mikhailovich Lobov (russian: Семён Михайлович Лобов; 15 February 1913 – 12 July 1977) was a Fleet Admiral in the Soviet Navy. Lobov was born in Smolnikovo, Volokolamsky District, Moscow Oblast and joined the Sovi ...
(1926–1930).


Subordinate bodies

*The Financial Three (May 2, 1922 – May 29, 1922); *Finance Committee (1922–1923).


Assessments


Social composition

Researcher Mikhail Voslensky in his fundamental work "Nomenclature" notes that the "social origin" of the first composition of the Council of People's Commissars was of little use for the Bolshevik party, which declared itself "the vanguard of the working class". In fact, the first composition of the Council of People's Commissars was almost entirely intelligent, and in fact there were only two out of 16 workers in it: Alexander Shlyapnikov and
Victor Nogin The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...
. In addition, in the first composition of the Council of People's Commissars, there were five nobles:
Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1 ...
,
Anatoly Lunacharsky Anatoly Vasilyevich Lunacharsky (russian: Анато́лий Васи́льевич Лунача́рский) (born Anatoly Aleksandrovich Antonov, – 26 December 1933) was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Bolshevik Soviet People ...
,
Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko Vladimir Alexandrovich Antonov-Ovseenko (russian: Влади́мир Алекса́ндрович Анто́нов-Овсе́енко; ua, Володимир Антонов-Овсєєнко; 9 March 1883 – 10 February 1938), real surna ...
,
Ivan Teodorovich Ivan Adolfovich Teodorovich (russian: Ива́н Адольфо́вич Теодо́рович; pl, Iwan Adolfowicz Teodorowicz) (September 10 ( O. S. August 29), 1875 in Smolensk – September 20, 1937), was a Russian Bolshevik activist and ...
and
Georgy Oppokov Georgy Ippolitovich Oppokov (russian: Гео́ргий Ипполи́тович Оппо́ков; also known as Afanasi Lomov) (28 January 1888 – 2 September 1937) was a prominent Bolshevik leader, Soviet politician and the first People's Commis ...
. Trotsky's father was, according to the Soviet classification, a "
fist A fist is the shape of a hand when the fingers are bent inward against the palm and held there tightly. To make or clench a fist is to fold the fingers tightly into the center of the palm and then to clamp the thumb over the middle phalanges; in ...
", and Stalin a craftsman, that is, they both belonged, in the Soviet classification, to "petty-bourgeois elements". This state of affairs created the ground for the emergence of the so-called " Labour Opposition" at the end of the Civil War, which also expressed irritation that the workers were actually ruled by intellectuals on their behalf; oppositionists have accused of "degenerating the party leaders" and their "isolation from the party masses" (see also Makhaevschina). At the 10th Congress of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks), the "Workers' Opposition" was accused of:


National composition

The national composition of the Council of People's Commissars of Soviet Russia was a subject of speculation. Vlasovets
Andrey Dikiy Andrey Ivanovich Dikiy (russian: Андрей Иванович Дикий; real surname Zankevich; February 9, 1893 – September 4, 1977) was a Russian writer, White émigré politician and journalist, and a member of the Vlasov movement, known ...
in his work "Jews in Russia and the Soviet Union" claims that the composition of the Council of People's Commissars was allegedly as follows: Yuri Emelyanov in his work "Trotsky. Myths and Personality" provides an analysis of this list. The analysis shows that the "Jewish" character of the Council of People's Commissars was obtained through fraud: it was not the first composition of the Council of People's Commissars that was published in the decree of the Second Congress of Soviets, but only those people's commissariats whose heads either were Jews. So, Leo Trotsky, who was appointed to this post on April 8, 1918, is mentioned as the People's Commissar of Military and Naval Affairs, and
Alexander Schlichter Alexander Grigorievich Schlichter (Ukrainian: Александр Григорьевич Шлихтер; 1 September, 1868 – 2 December, 1940) was a Ukrainian Bolshevik politician, Soviet statesman, political scientist and economist. Schlichter ...
, who really held this post until February 25, 1918, was mentioned as the People's Commissar of Food (here: "supply"), by the way, he was not a Jew either (Schlichter – Polish landowners of German origin). At the time when Trotsky really became the People's Commissar of Military and Naval Affairs, Alexander Tsyurupa instead of Schlichter already became the People's Commissar of Food. Another method of fraud is the invention of a number of never-existing people's commissariats. So, Andrei Dikiy in the list of people's commissariats mentioned the never-existent people's commissariats of cults, of elections, of refugees, of hygiene. Volodarsky is mentioned as the People's Commissar of the Press; in fact, he was indeed the commissar of the press, propaganda and agitation, but not the people's commissar, a member of the Council of People's Commissars (that is, in fact the government), but the commissar of the Union of Northern Communes (regional union of Soviets), an active conductor of the Bolshevik Press Decree. And, conversely, the list does not include, for example, the really existing People's Commissariat of Railways and the People's Commissariat of Posts and Telegraphs. As a result, Andrey Dikiy does not even agree on the number of people's commissariats: he mentions the number 20, although there were 14 people in the first composition, in 1918 the number was increased to 18. Some posts are indicated with errors. So, the Chairman of the Petrograd Council
Grigory Zinoviev Grigory Yevseyevich Zinoviev, . Transliterated ''Grigorii Evseevich Zinov'ev'' according to the Library of Congress system. (born Hirsch Apfelbaum, – 25 August 1936), known also under the name Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich Radomyslsky (russian: Ов ...
was mentioned as the People's Commissar of Internal Affairs, although he never held this position. The People's Commissar of Posts and Telegraphs Proshyan (here – "Protian") is attributed the leadership of "agriculture". Jewish identity are arbitrarily attributed to a number of people, for example, Russian nobleman
Anatoly Lunacharsky Anatoly Vasilyevich Lunacharsky (russian: Анато́лий Васи́льевич Лунача́рский) (born Anatoly Aleksandrovich Antonov, – 26 December 1933) was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Bolshevik Soviet People ...
, Estonian Jan Anvelt, Russified Germans
Vasily Schmidt Vasily Vladimirovich Schmidt (Russian: Василий Владимирович Шмидт; December 17, 1886 – July 28, 1938) was a Bolshevik politician, and later a Soviet statesman. Born in Saint Petersburg to a German Russian working-class f ...
,
Alexander Schlichter Alexander Grigorievich Schlichter (Ukrainian: Александр Григорьевич Шлихтер; 1 September, 1868 – 2 December, 1940) was a Ukrainian Bolshevik politician, Soviet statesman, political scientist and economist. Schlichter ...
, Latvian Karl Landers and others. Some individuals are generally fictitious: Spitsberg (perhaps referring to the investigator of the 8th Liquidation Department of the People's Commissariat of Justice Ivan Spitsberg, who was famous for his aggressive atheistic position), Lilina-Knigissen (possibly referring to actress
Maria Lilina Maria Petrovna Alexeyeva (russian: Мари́я Петро́вна Алексе́ева, Perevoshchikova, Перево́щикова, 21 June 1866 - 24 August 1943) was a Russian stage actress, associated with the Moscow Art Theatre, better kno ...
, who never entered the government, or Zlata Lilina (Bernshtein), who was also not a member of the Council of People's Commissars, but who worked as the head of the Department of Public Education at the executive committee of the Petrograd Council), Kaufman (possibly referring to the constitutional democrat Alexander Kaufman, who, according to some sources, was involved by the Bolsheviks as an expert in the development of land reform but never entered the Council of People's Commissars). Also on the list are two leftist Socialist Revolutionaries whose rejection of Bolshevism is not indicated at all: People's Commissar of Justice Isaac Steinberg (referred to as "I. Steinberg") and People's Commissar of Posts and Telegraphs Prosh Proshyan, referred to as "Protian – Agriculture". Both politicians reacted extremely negatively to post-October Bolshevik politics. Prior to the revolution, Isidor Gukovsky was a Menshevik "liquidator" and he accepted the post of People's Commissar of Finance only under the pressure of Lenin. Literary critic Vadim Kozhinov wrote about the membership in the Council of People's Commissars of one of the few Jews there,
Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...
, objecting to the philosopher
Vadim Rogovin Vadim Zakharovich Rogovin (russian: Вади́м Заха́рович Рого́вин; 10 May 1937 – 18 September 1998) was a Russian Marxist (Trotskyist) historian and sociologist, Ph.D. in philosophy, Leading Researcher at the Institut ...
: A similar point of view was shared by
Igor Shafarevich Igor Rostislavovich Shafarevich (russian: И́горь Ростисла́вович Шафаре́вич; 3 June 1923 – 19 February 2017) was a Soviet and Russian mathematician who contributed to algebraic number theory and algebraic geometry. ...
. In 2013, speaking about the Schneerson Collection at the Moscow Jewish Museum and the Center for Tolerance, Russian President
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
noted that "The decision to nationalize the library was made by the first Soviet government, and
Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
were approximately 80–85% members". According to historian
Vladimir Ryzhkov Vladimir Aleksandrovich Ryzhkov (russian: Влади́мир Алекса́ндрович Рыжко́в; born 3 September 1966 in Rubtsovsk) is a Russian historian and liberal politician, a former co-chair of People's Freedom Party (2006 � ...
, Putin's ignorant statement about the predominance of Jews in the Council of People's Commissars is due to the fact that "during the years of perestroika, he read the tabloid press". Some media outlets also criticized the statements of the President of the Russian Federation. So the editors of the newspaper
Vedomosti ''Vedomosti'' ( rus, Ведомости, p=ˈvʲedəməsʲtʲɪ, ) is a Russian-language business daily newspaper published in Moscow. History ''Vedomosti'' was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between Dow Jones, who publishes ''The Wall ...
, condemning the head of state for marginality, posted the following statistics:Messag
"From the Editor: Fifth Fad. The Rhetoric of the First Persons of the Russian State Feeds the Prejudices of the Backward Part of the Inhabitants"
"
Vedomosti ''Vedomosti'' ( rus, Ведомости, p=ˈvʲedəməsʲtʲɪ, ) is a Russian-language business daily newspaper published in Moscow. History ''Vedomosti'' was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between Dow Jones, who publishes ''The Wall ...
" dated June 17, 2013


References


Sources

*Figures of the Soviet Union and the Revolutionary Movement of Russia – Moscow: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1989 – Pages 826–827


External links


Decrees of the Soviet Government. Volume 1. October 25, 1917 – March 16, 1918Rulers of Russia and the Soviet Union, a Biographical and Chronological Directory
* ttp://his95.narod.ru/doc16/d50.htm Decree of the Council of People's Commissars on freedom of Conscience, Church and Religious Societiesbr>Council of People's Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic–Soviet Union: Heads of State Bodies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Soviet Union, 1917–1993
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