Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union explained

Supreme Soviet of the USSR
House Type:	Bicameral
Logo Pic:	Badge of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.svg
Logo Res:	200px
Members:	1,500 (after 1984 election) 542 (at dissolution)
Session Room:	Supreme Soviet 1982.jpg
Meeting Place:	Grand Kremlin Palace, Moscow Kremlin (Joint sessions of both houses)^[1] ^[2]
Voting System1:	Direct elections (1937–1989) Elected by the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union (1989–1991)
Voting System2:	Direct elections (1937-1989) Elected by the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union (1989–1991)
House1:	Soviet of Nationalities
House2:	Soviet of the Union
Structure1:	File:Soviet of Nationalities (1984-1989).svg
Structure1 Res:	250px
Political Groups1:	After the 1984 election: Communist Party of the Soviet Union (521) Independents (229)
Structure2:	File:Soviet of the Union (1984-1989).svg
Structure2 Res:	250px
Political Groups2:	After the 1984 election: Communist Party of the Soviet Union (551) Independents (199)
First Election1:	12 December 1937
Last Election1:	4 March 1984 (last direct election) 26 March 1989 (last—and only—indirect election)

The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Russian: Верховный Совет Союза Советских Социалистических Республик|r=Verkhovnyy Sovet Soyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik) was, from 1936 to 1991, the highest body of state authority of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and based on the principle of unified power was the only branch of government in the Soviet state.

Prior to 1936,^[3] the Congress of Soviets was the supreme legislative body. During 1989–1991 a similar, but not identical structure was the supreme legislative body. The Supreme Soviet appointed the Council of Ministers, the Supreme Court, and the Procurator General of the USSR as well as elected the Presidium which served as the USSR's collective head of state under both the 1936 and 1977 Soviet Constitutions.^[3]

By the Soviet constitutions of 1936 and 1977, the Supreme Soviet was defined as the highest organ of state power in the Soviet Union and was imbued with great lawmaking powers. In practice, however, it was a toy parliament which did nothing other than ratify decisions already made by the USSR's executive organs and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) — always by unanimous consent^[3] — and listen to the General Secretary's speeches.^[3] This was in accordance with the Stalinist CPSU's principle of democratic centralism and became the norm for other Communist legislatures.

Structure

The Supreme Soviet was composed of two chambers, each with equal legislative powers:^[4]

• The Soviet of the Union, which represented the population of the Soviet federation as a whole, with each deputy representing the same number of voters.
• The Soviet of Nationalities, which represented the ethnic populations as units, with members elected on the basis of 32 deputies from each union republic, 11 from each autonomous republic, five from each autonomous oblast (region), and one from each autonomous okrug (district). The administrative units of the same type would send the same number of members regardless of their size or population.

Under the 1936 Constitution, the Supreme Soviet was elected for a four-year term, and the Soviet of the Union had one deputy for every 300,000 people. This was changed by the 1977 constitution; the term was extended to five years, and the number of seats in the Soviet of the Union was changed to be the same as the Soviet of Nationalities, regardless of the population size.^{[5] [6]}

The Supreme Soviet convened twice a year, usually for less than a week. For the rest of the year, the Presidium performed its ordinary functions. Often, the CPSU bypassed the Supreme Soviet altogether and had major laws enacted as Presidium decrees. Nominally, if such decrees were not ratified by the Supreme Soviet at its next session, they were considered revoked. In practice, however, the principle of democratic centralism rendered the process of ratifying Presidium decrees a mere formality. In some cases, even this formality was not observed.^[3]

After 1989 it consisted of 542 deputies (divided into two 271 chambers) decreased from a previous 1,500. The meetings of the body were also more frequent, from six to eight months a year. In September 1991, after the August Coup, it was reorganised into the Soviet (council) of Republics and the Soviet of The Union, which would jointly amend the Soviet Constitution, admit new states, hear out the President of the Soviet Union on important home and foreign policy issues, approve the union budget, declare war and conclude peace. The Soviet of Republics would consist of 20 deputies from each union republic, plus one deputy to represent each autonomous region of each republic, delegated by the republics' legislatures. Russia was an exception with 52 deputies. The Soviet Union consisted of deputies apportioned by the existing quotas.^[7]

In 1989, its powers were:

• Passing and initiating laws.
• Submitting questions to the President of the Soviet Union, the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, scheduling elections of deputies.
• Convening the Congress of People's Deputies.
• Appointing the Chairman of the Council of Ministers on the submission of the president.
• Ratifying the composition of the Council of Ministers and changes in it on the submission on the chairman.
• Forming and disbanding ministries and state committees on the Council of Ministers proposal.
• Overriding a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority.
• Ratifying presidential declarations of war.
• Impeaching the President.
• Hearing reports by organs of appointed officials.
• Implementing laws regulating property, management of the economy, social and cultural issues, budget and finance, salaries, prices, taxes, environmental protection, natural resource, and civil rights,
• Laying down the principals of local and republic state power and the legal status of social organisations,
• Submitting for ratification (and ratifying and amending) by the congress long-term national and social and economic development plans, the national budget, monitoring implantation of the state plan and budget, and ratifying reports on their performance.
• Ratifying international treaties.
• Overseeing the granting of foreign aid and negotiating foreign loans.
• Determining basic measures for national security, including declarations of war, mobilizing troops, and meeting international treaty obligations.

Acts by the Supreme Soviet entered into force after signature by the President and publication.

Between 1938 and February 1990, more than 50 years, only 80 laws were passed by the Supreme Soviet, less than 1% of total legislative acts.^[8]

Leaders

Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet (1989–1991)

Convocations

• 1st convocation session 1938–1946, World War II
• 2nd convocation session 1946–1950
• 3rd convocation session 1950–1954
• 4th convocation session 1954–1958
• 5th convocation session 1958–1962
• 6th convocation session 1962–1966
• 7th convocation session 1966–1970
• 8th convocation session 1970–1974
• 9th convocation session 1974–1979
• 10th convocation session 1979–1984
• 11th convocation session 1984–1989
• 1st convocation 1989–1991^[9] (unofficially 12th convocation), sessions were conducted in the form of Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union
• New composition 1991,^[10] (unofficially 13th convocation) unlike previous convocations, there were no elections for the new composition of the Supreme Council instead members of the council were delegated from the council of union republics that continued to be members of the Soviet Union.

Supreme Soviets of union and autonomous republics

Beside the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, each of its constituting union republics and each autonomous republic had a supreme soviet. These supreme soviets also had presidiums, but all consisted of only one chamber. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, some soviets of the succeeded independent republics simply changed their name to their more historic name or to emphasise their importance as a national parliament, while others changed to double-chamber assemblies.

Supreme soviets of union republics

See main article: Supreme Soviet.

	Soviet Republic	Supreme Soviet	Established	Disbanded	Succeeded by
		Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR Верховный Совет РСФСР	1938	1993	Constitutional Conference (1993) Federal Assembly (1993–present)
		Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSRВерховный Совет Украинской ССР Верховна Рада Української РСР	1937	1996	Verkhovna Rada
		Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR Верховный Совет Белорусской ССР Вярхоўны Савет Беларускай ССР	1938	1994	Supreme Council (1994–96) National Assembly (1996–present)
		Supreme Soviet of the Uzbek SSRВерховный Совет Узбекской ССР Ўзбекистон ССР Олий Совети	1938	1992	Supreme Council (1992–1995) Oliy Majlis (1995–present)
		Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSRВерховный Совет Казахской ССР Қазақ ССР Жоғарғы Советі	1937	1993	Supreme Council (1993–95) Parliament (1996–present)
		Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR Верховный Совет Грузинской ССР საქართველოს სსრ უმაღლესი საბჭო	1938	1992	State Council (1992–1995) Parliament (1995–present)
		Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR Верховный Совет Азербайджа́нской ССР Азәрбаjҹан ССР Али Совети	1938	1995	National Assembly
		Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSRВерховный Совет Литовской ССР Lietuvos TSR Aukščiausioji Taryba	1940	1990	Supreme Council (1990–1992) Seimas (1992–present)
		Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSRВерховный Совет Молдавской ССР Совиетул Супрем ал РСС Молдовеняскэ (Moldovan Cyrillic) Sovietul Suprem al RSS Moldovenească (Latin alphabet)	1941	1993	Parliament
		Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSRВерховный Совет Латвийской ССР Latvijas PSR Augstākā Padome	1940	1990	Supreme Council (1990–1993) Saeima (1993–present)
		Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz SSRВерховный Совет Киргизской ССР Кыргыз ССР Жогорку Совети	1938	1994	Supreme Council
		Supreme Soviet of the Tajik SSRВерховный Совет Таджикской ССР Совети Олӣ РСС Тоҷикистон	1937	1994	Supreme Assembly
		Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR Верховный Совет Армянской ССР Հայկական ՍՍՀ Գերագույն Խորհուրդ	1938	1995	National Assembly
		Supreme Soviet of the Turkmen SSRВерховный Совет Туркменской ССР Түркменистан ССР Ёкары Советы	1938	1992	Assembly (1992–2021, 2023–present) National Council (2021–2023)
		Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSRВерховный Совет Эстонской ССР Eesti NSV Ülemnõukogu	1940	1990	Supreme Council (1990–92) Riigikogu (1992–present)
		Supreme Soviet of the Karelo-Finnish SSRВерховный Совет Карело-Финской ССР	1940	1956	Supreme Soviet (ru)

Supreme councils of autonomous republic

List of known autonomous republics councils:

	Autonomous Republic	Supreme Soviet	Established	Disbanded	Succeeded by
	Bashkiria	Supreme Soviet of the Bashkir ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Башкирской АССР Башҡорт АССР-ы Юғары Советы	1938	1995	State Assembly
	Buryatia	Supreme Soviet of the Buryat ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Бурятской АССР Буряадай АССР-эй Верховно Совет	1938	1994	People's Khural
	Karelia	Supreme Soviet of the Karelian ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Карельской АССР	1938 1956	1940 1994	Legislative Assembly
	Tatarstan	Supreme Soviet of the Tatar ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Татарской АССР Татарстан АССР Югары Советы	1938	1995	State Council
	Tuva	Supreme Soviet of the Tuvan ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Тувинской АССР Тыва АССР-ниң Дээди Соведи	1961	1993	Great Khural
	Chuvashia	Supreme Soviet of the Chuvash ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Чувашской АССР Чӑваш АССР Верховнӑй Совечӗ	1938	1994	State Council
	Karakalpakstan	Supreme Soviet of the Karakalpak ASSR Верховный Совет Каракалпакской АССР Қарақалпақстан АССР Жоқарғы Совети	1938	1994	Supreme Council
	Abkhazia	Supreme Soviet of the Abkhaz ASSR Верховный Совет Абхазской АССР Аҧснытәи АССР Иреиҳаӡоу Асовет	1938	1996	People's Assembly
	Adjara	Supreme Soviet of the Adjarian ASSR Верховный Совет Аджарской АССР აჭარის ასსრ უმაღლესი საბჭო	1938	1991	Supreme Council
	Nakhichevan	Supreme Soviet of the Nakhichevan ASSR Верховный Совет Нахичеванской АССР Нахчыван МССР Али Совети	1938	1990	Supreme Assembly (Nakhchivan)

See also

• All-Russian Central Executive Committee
• Supreme Soviet of Russia
• Federal Assembly of Russia
• National People's Congress – Chinese equivalent
• Supreme People's Assembly – North Korean equivalent
• National Assembly of People's Power – Cuban equivalent
• National Assembly (Laos) – Laotian equivalent
• National Assembly (Vietnam) – Vietnamese equivalent
• Volkskammer – East German equivalent
• Federal Assembly – Czechoslovak equivalent

External links

• Electoral law of 1937

Notes and References

1. Web site: Совместное заседание Совета Союза и Совета Национальностей Верховного Совета СССР восьмого созыва. Кремль. . RIA Novosti Mediabank . 18 December 1972 . Rossiya Segodnya media group . 29 April 2023.
2. Web site: Совместное заседание Совета Союза и Совета Национальностей третьей сессии Верховного Совета СССР девятого созыва. Кремлевский Дворец Съездов (ныне - Государственный Кремлевский дворец). . RIA Novosti Mediabank . 22 July 1975 . Rossiya Segodnya media group . 29 April 2023.
3. Book: Armstrong, John Alexander . Ideology, Politics, and Government in the Soviet Union: An Introduction . . Lanham, MD / New York City / London . fourth . 1986 . 1978 . November 26, 2016 . 0-8191-5405-9.
4. http://bse.sci-lib.com/article004390.html Верховный Совет СССР
5. 1979 . The 1977 Soviet Constitution: A Historical Comparison . Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law . 12 . 3.
6. 1414 . 3311636 . The Theories and Realities of Modern Soviet Constitutional Law: An Analysis of the 1977 USSR Constitution . Osakwe . Christopher . University of Pennsylvania Law Review . 1979 . 127 . 5 . 10.2307/3311636 . 5783531 .
7. Peter Lentini (1991) in: The Journal of Communist Studies, Vol. 7, No.1, pp. 69–94
8. «Avante!», newspaper of Portuguese Communist Party, February 22, 1990, section «Em Foco», page IX
9. https://web.archive.org/web/20160204085149/http://vs.sssr.su/ Supreme Council of the Soviet Union
10. https://web.archive.org/web/20160204084725/http://vs.sssr.su/13/ Supreme Council of the Soviet Union new composition