Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union

The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (SSUSSR)^[a] was the highest organ of state authority of the Soviet Union from 1936 to 1991. Based on the principle of unified power, it was the only branch of government in the Soviet state, and headed the unified state apparatus.

Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Верховный Совет СССР
Type
Type	Bicameral
Chambers	Soviet of Nationalities Soviet of the Union
History
Established	12 January 1938; 87 years ago (12 January 1938)
Disbanded	26 December 1991; 33 years ago (26 December 1991)
Preceded by	Congress of Soviets
Succeeded by	Congress of People's Deputies Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States Several post-Soviet parliaments: list Supreme Soviet of Russia Supreme Council of Belarus Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Supreme Council of Armenia Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan Supreme Council of Georgia Supreme Soviet of Kazakhstan Supreme Soviet of Kyrgyzstan Supreme Soviet of Moldova Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan Supreme Soviet of Turkmenistan Supreme Council of Uzbekistan Supreme Council of Estonia Supreme Council of Latvia Supreme Council of Lithuania
Structure
Seats	1,500 (after 1984 election) 542 (at dissolution)
Soviet of Nationalities political groups	Communist Party of the Soviet Union (521)   Independents (229)
Soviet of the Union political groups	Communist Party of the Soviet Union (551)   Independents (199)
Elections
Soviet of Nationalities voting system	Direct election
Soviet of the Union voting system	Direct election
First Soviet of Nationalities election	12 December 1937
First Soviet of the Union election	12 December 1937
Last Soviet of Nationalities election	4 March 1984
Last Soviet of the Union election	4 March 1984
Meeting place
Grand Kremlin Palace, Moscow Kremlin (Joint sessions of both houses)[1][2]

Prior to 1936,^[3] the Congress of Soviets was the highest organ of state authority. During 1989–1991 a similar, but not identical organ acted as the highest organ of state authority. The Supreme Soviet appointed the Council of Ministers, the Supreme Court, and the Procurator General of the Soviet Union as well as elected the Presidium which served as the Soviet Union'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 rubber stamp parliament which did little more than ratify decisions already made by the Soviet Union'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.

History

The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union (Russian: Верхо́вный Сове́т СССР, Verkhovny Sovet SSSR) was the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union from 1938 to 1991. It succeeded the Congress of Soviets of the Soviet Union and functioned as the nominal supreme organ of state power according to the 1936 Soviet Constitution.

History

The Supreme Soviet replaced the Congress of Soviets in 1938 and was theoretically the highest authority in the USSR. In practice, however, it usually rubber-stamped decisions made by the Communist Party and its Politburo.

Originally, it was composed of two chambers of equal legislative power:

• The Soviet of the Union – representing the general population, elected based on equal population representation.
• The Soviet of Nationalities – representing the various nationalities of the USSR, with seats apportioned to each republic and autonomous entity.

Although the Supreme Soviet was formally the highest organ of state power, real authority rested with the Communist Party until Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms in the late 1980s. Under perestroika, it became a somewhat genuine parliamentary body after the creation of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union in 1989, from which the Supreme Soviet was elected as a smaller working legislature.

The last session of the Supreme Soviet was held in December 1991, shortly before the formal dissolution of the USSR.

Structure and powers

The Supreme Soviet had authority to:

• Enact laws and amend the Constitution of the Soviet Union.
• Elect the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, which acted as a collective head of state between sessions.
• Appoint the Council of Ministers (executive branch).
• Ratify international treaties and approve economic plans.

Sessions were generally short, held twice a year, with most legislative work done by standing commissions or the Presidium.

Presidium

Between sessions, its powers were exercised by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, which could issue decrees (ukazy) with the force of law, subject to later approval.

See also

• Soviet of the Union
• Soviet of Nationalities
• Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union
• Supreme Soviet
• Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
• Politics of the Soviet Union