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Soviet Union [USSR] Government
The union republics and the autonomous republics shared the
same basic principles of government. As in the central government,
in theory the republic congresses of people's deputies exercised
authority. In practice, the congresses delegated their power to the
presidiums of their supreme soviets and to the republic councils of
ministers, and the first secretary of the republic party
organization set policy for the republic as a whole
(see Soviet Union USSR - Republic Party Organization
, ch. 7). Between supreme soviet sessions, the
presidium and its chairman exercised the legislative powers of the
republic. By custom, the chairman was a member of the republic's
dominant nationality, a practice that highlighted the theoretical
sovereignty of the republics and the influence of their dominant
nationality on policy making.
The council of ministers administered the government of the
republic. The chairman of the council headed the republic but
deferred in all matters to the first secretary of the republic's
party organization. The council of ministers included unionrepublic ministries and republic ministries
(see Soviet Union USSR - Administrative Organs
, this ch.). The latter, which had no counterpart in the
central government, administered local public services and light
industry. Both kinds of ministries functioned under dual
subordination: they were responsible to the central party
organization and government and to the republic's party
organization and government.
Data as of May 1989
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