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Soviet Union [USSR] CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY OF GOVERNMENT
The political theory underlying the Soviet Constitution
differed from the political theory underlying constitutions in the
West. Democratic constitutions are fundamentally prescriptive; they
define a set of political relations to which their governments and
citizens aspire. By contrast, Soviet constitutions have purported
to describe a set of political relationships already in existence.
Thus, as changes have occurred in the socioeconomic and political
systems, the government has adopted new constitutions that have
conformed to the new sets of realities.
The 1977 Constitution was generally descriptive; it differed
from past constitutions in containing a preamble and a section on
foreign policy that were prescriptive in tone. The Soviet Union has
been governed by four constitutions, ratified in 1918, 1924, 1936,
and 1977, respectively. On the surface, the four constitutions have
resembled many constitutions adopted in the West. The differences
between Soviet and Western constitutions, however, overshadowed the
similarities. Soviet constitutions appeared to guarantee certain
political rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and
religious belief. They also identified a series of economic and
social rights, as well as a set of duties that obligated all
citizens. Nevertheless, Soviet constitutions did not contain
provisions guaranteeing the inalienable rights of the citizenry,
and they lacked the machinery to protect individual rights
contained in many democratic constitutions. Thus, the population
enjoyed political rights only to the extent that these rights
conformed to the interests of building
socialism (see Glossary).
The CPSU alone reserved the authority to determine what lay in the
interests of socialism. Finally, Soviet constitutions specified the
form and content of regime symbols, such as the arms, the flag, and
the state anthem.
The four constitutions had provisions in common. These
provisions expressed the theoretical sovereignty of the working
class and the leading role of the CPSU in government and society.
All the constitutions have upheld the forms of
socialist property (see Glossary). Each of the constitutions
has called for a system
of soviets, or councils, to exercise governmental authority.
Data as of May 1989
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