The Brezhnev Constitution of 1977 was the last basic law of the Soviet Union. It was accepted because of an irrelevant predecessor document, adopted under Stalin. At the declarative level, it was the most democratic Soviet constitution.
Main features
On October 7, 1977, at the extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet of the ninth convocation, the Constitution of developed socialism was adopted. It consisted of an introduction (preamble), 9 sections, 21 chapters and 174 articles. At the very beginning of the document, the compilers posted a short overview of the 60-year journey of the Soviet state. The label of "developed socialism" appeared due to the fact that in the constitution the society of the USSR was called developed socialist. According to the Marxist-Leninist interpretation, this state was one of the steps on the path to communism.
The most important thesis of the constitution was the sixth article of the first section. It consolidated the leading position of the CPSU. The party was called the core of the entire political system. The considerable importance of the activities of the Komsomol, trade unions and other public organizations created by the authorities was consolidated. The constitution of developed socialism stated that the basis of the economy of a huge country is socialist property, which is divided into two types - state and collective-farm cooperative.
The adoption of the new fundamental law of the Soviet Union prompted the authorities to prepare the same documents for all union republics. For example, in the RSFSR, a new constitution was adopted in April 1978. She acted for 15 children and even survived the Union itself.
Background
The adoption of the 1977 fundamental law had many reasons. The most important of them can be called a change in the entire political system. The constitution of developed socialism replaced the so-called Stalinist constitution, adopted in 1936. Over the past 40 years, much has changed in the country. The political regime has become noticeably softer compared to the era of terror.
The first commission, which discussed the prospects of adopting a new main document of the country, was assembled under Khrushchev in 1962. First of all, lawyers had to move away from the previous dogma of the class struggle. By that time, she was no longer in the USSR. The dictatorship of the proletariat was established long ago, and there was no bourgeoisie in the Soviet Union.
Difference from the previous constitution
A new concept was developed intermittently for one and a half decades. Khrushchev has already lost power. The problem of adopting the main document of the country was taken over by Brezhnev's Politburo. For 40 years, the drafters of the constitution saw the progress of Soviet society in many of its characteristics. Firstly, under Stalin it was believed that the country's socialist economy was built on the resources left after the liquidation of capitalism. Now, in 1977, National economy The USSR had its own foundation, which was formed over the past decades.
When the Stalinist constitution was adopted, the working class made up about a third of the country's population, and when the Constitution of developed socialism was published, its number approached two-thirds. If before the proletarians were the support of the state, now it has become nationwide. In the 70s, the slogan about the indestructible union of workers, peasants and intelligentsia was popular.
Popular discussion
In June 1977, four months before the formal adoption of the fundamental law, a general discussion of the draft constitution began in the USSR.According to official statistics, more than 140 million people participated in it (about 80% of the country's adult population). Consideration took place at meetings on collective farms, military units and enterprises.
In total, about 1.5 hundred such events took place. Meetings were initiated in creative organizations, trade unions, cooperative associations, the Komsomol and the party circle. Formally, the project was considered by all the councils that existed at that time. Thus, they performed their function of authorities. 400 thousand proposals were received on the necessary amendments in some articles.
Document acceptance
And on September 27, a meeting of the special constitutional commission took place. The project was approved, which included some amendments and additions. After this, the adoption of the Constitution of developed socialism took place. The date of the event was an important milestone for the Communist Party. It was officially stated that the country has moved to a new stage in its development, and it is to this event that the new fundamental law is dedicated.
The last vote took place on October 7, 1977, a month before the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution. It took place in several stages. First, the deputies voted for the preamble, after which they also individually voted for each section. The last to be adopted was the draft constitution as a whole.
Socialist democracy
What are the main changes brought by the Constitution of developed socialism? The date of its adoption was marked by the fixation of an updated political system. For the first time in the document, the phrase “socialist democracy” was used to describe the Soviet state. If before it was believed that the proletarian class was the main bearer of power, now this function was attributed to the entire Soviet people.
Authorities received a new name (Councils of People's Deputies). They became the main instrument of democracy in the country. The Constitution of the USSR (developed socialism) was adopted as a document confirming their main role in public administration of society. All other bodies were accountable and controlled by these Councils. Especially for them, the fourth section was included in the constitution, an analogue of which had not existed before. The powers of the Supreme and local Councils were extended (for 2 and 2.5 years, respectively). The drafters of the basic law emphasized the leading role of these bodies in state, socio-cultural and economic construction.
Suffrage
The new document reiterated the previously announced principles of equal, universal and direct suffrage. Voting remained secret. But at the same time, the adoption of the Constitution of developed socialism (date: October 7, 1977) brought some changes to the electoral system. The important point was the decline age qualification. Now, citizens of 18 years could vote in the elections to the Soviets (formerly there was a threshold of 21 years), and residents of the USSR 21 years of age (previously only 23 years old) could vote in the Supreme Council. So overnight, the country received an additional wave of young voters.
The right of public organizations to participate in preparations for the elections was emphasized. The state took all the expenses for their implementation solely on itself. For most Soviets, a time limit for deputies was introduced, which amounted to two election cycles.
National issue
It is important that the adoption of the Constitution of developed socialism reflected a new approach of the authorities to the national question. From the very beginning of the emergence of this state, from the legal point of view, the peoples of the USSR were equal. Each large enough nation had its own autonomous republic. The 1977 Constitution of developed socialism looked at their relationship a little differently. The document read about the formation of a single Soviet people. It was a new historical community of people.All of them, except for very elderly people, were born after the revolution, which means that they grew and lived in the same conditions.
Speaking not about the equality of nations, but about their unity, ideology invited all Soviet people to unite their efforts in creating and improving the national economy. The adoption of the Constitution of developed socialism is a step towards equalizing the republics among themselves. Already in the 80s. the excessive centralization of power in Moscow was often criticized among the non-Russian population, which clearly showed the existence of an interethnic problem in the USSR. When in the republics after Moscow they began to adopt their own constitutions, these documents completely duplicated the all-Union version.
State and personality
“State and personality” is the second section, which included the Constitution of developed socialism. The year 1977 was marked by a new declared attitude of the authorities towards the individual. The constitution has repeatedly said about the high priority of the interests of the individual in the state and society.
Significantly expanded the range of freedoms, rights and duties of Soviet citizens. Many of them were noted in the previous constitution, but many new things appeared. The human right to housing, the protection of health, the enjoyment of cultural achievements was proclaimed. In the USSR, freedom of technical, creative and scientific creativity was established. These declarations often went against reality. As before, there were artistic councils, censorship, etc. All this did not interfere with the fact that the Constitution of the USSR (developed socialism) at the declarative level was itself democratic.
Economic system
Like its predecessor law, the new document touched on the foundations of the USSR economy. The constitution of developed socialism was adopted during the heyday of the planned system. The five-year plans begun by Stalin continued and became the main attribute of Soviet production. The constitution emphasized that the management of the all-Union economy is carried out according to state planning. Such incentives and levers were used as centralized management, the initiative of economic enterprises, cost, profit, etc.
The time has long passed when the first Bolsheviks dreamed of a state in which there would be no money and other hated signs of capitalism. Part of the bourgeois system was still present in the Soviet economy, and the constitution confirmed this fact. Individual activities in the field of handicrafts and crafts, services and agriculture were allowed.
The basic law emphasized the priority of socially useful work. As you know, in the Soviet Union until the last years of its existence they continued to judge for parasitism and lack of work. Conducting community work days and other collective labor events was the daily norm.
Other provisions
One of the most important principles of the political Soviet system was declared principle of legality. It was revealed in article 57, according to which state bodies were obliged to respect the individual, as well as protect the freedoms and rights of citizens.
For the first time, the Soviet constitution stipulated principles of conduct foreign policy. Relations with other states were built on many documents adopted by the international community. The 1977 Basic Law reproduced many quotes from these sources. For example, the drafters repeated part of the final act of the meeting in Helsinki, which resulted in the establishment of new standards of cooperation on the European continent.
