Soviet Constitution: Salient Features
Soviet constitution features: the written, rigid, socialist 1977 Brezhnev Constitution, its federal design, and citizen duties, for UPSC comparative polity.
At a glance
The 1977 Constitution of the USSR, the 'Brezhnev Constitution' — the world's first socialist constitution, structuring a one-party socialist state.
20 chapters and 174 Articles across 9 parts; amendable only by a two-thirds majority in each House of the Supreme Soviet.
Repeatedly cited in India's Constituent Assembly Debates while the framers designed India's own federal structure.
Timeline
Soviet constitution features describe the defining structural and ideological characteristics of the 1977 Constitution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), popularly called the Brezhnev Constitution. It was the fourth and final constitution adopted by the Soviet Union and, as the world's first socialist constitution, it remains a standard reference point in comparative constitutional study alongside the American, British, French, and Japanese constitutions.
Historical Evolution: From Revolution to the 1977 Constitution
The Soviet state was formed in 1917 in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, also called the Bolshevik Revolution, led by V.I. Lenin. This October 1917 revolution created, for the first time, a socialist state whose declared goal was the achievement of Communism — making the Soviet Constitution the first socialist constitution in the world. Between 1917 and 1977, the USSR successively adopted four constitutions: in 1918, 1924, 1936 (popularly known as the Stalin Constitution), and finally in 1977 (the Brezhnev Constitution). The USSR functioned as a global superpower for more than seven decades before it collapsed and disintegrated between 1989 and 1991, mainly on account of an economic crisis.
Ideological Foundation: Marxism-Leninism and One-Party Rule
The constitutional system of the USSR rested on the principles and ideology of Marxism-Leninism. As a result, the Communist Party dominated the entire political and administrative machinery of the state — a feature that set the Soviet politico-administrative system apart from those of the United Kingdom, the United States, and France, where competitive multi-party politics operated.
Salient Features of the 1977 Constitution
| Feature | What it meant |
|---|---|
| Written Constitution | Like the American and French Constitutions, the Soviet Constitution was a written document. It was drafted by a committee headed by Leonid Brezhnev and contained 20 chapters and 174 Articles arranged in 9 parts. |
| Rigid Constitution | The Constitution could not be amended in the manner of an ordinary law. A special procedure required approval of the Supreme Soviet — the USSR's legislature — by a two-thirds majority in each of its Houses. |
| Socialist Constitution | The Constitution was explicitly socialist in character and laid the foundation of a socialist state, declaring that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was "a socialist state." |
Federal Character and the Autonomy of Constituent Republics
During India's own Constituent Assembly Debates, members repeatedly invoked the Soviet Constitution while discussing the design of India's federal structure. One member observed that the Soviet Constitution had made every constituent state a "permanent republic," and that, to win the confidence of these units, each component republic had been given control over defence, foreign relations, and communications. The debates also referred to the Soviet Constitution's grounding in local self-government, noting that it was based on village-level units called "village Soviets" — a model some members cited while arguing for stronger village republics within the Indian Constitution. Elsewhere, responding to the criticism that India's Draft Constitution borrowed excessively from foreign models, a member pointed out that "even the Soviet Constitution has not departed from certain accepted principles of federal government," underlining that federal borrowing across constitutions was itself an accepted and common practice.
Duties of Citizens
The 1977 Constitution also enumerated duties owed by citizens to the socialist state. Among the duties on record were the duty to defend the socialist motherland, to render military service, to respect the national dignity of other citizens, to respect the rights and lawful interests of other persons, to protect nature and conserve its richness, to preserve historical monuments and other cultural values, and to promote and strengthen world peace.
From the Soviet Constitution to the Russian Constitution
Russia was the largest constituent republic of the former USSR, accounting for about 75 percent of its total area, roughly 50 percent of its population, and close to 70 percent of its combined agricultural and industrial output. After the USSR disintegrated, Russia moved away from the Soviet constitutional framework and adopted an entirely new Constitution on 20 December 1993, establishing a fresh politico-administrative system for the country.
UPSC Relevance
Prelims
- The 1977 Soviet Constitution is also known as the Brezhnev Constitution; the 1936 Constitution is called the Stalin Constitution.
- The USSR adopted four constitutions in its history: 1918, 1924, 1936, and 1977.
- The 1977 Constitution had 20 chapters and 174 Articles arranged in 9 parts.
- Amendments required a two-thirds majority in each House of the Supreme Soviet.
Mains
- Comparative constitutional study (GS2) often draws on the Soviet Constitution to contrast socialist, one-party constitutional systems with liberal-democratic constitutions such as those of India, the USA, the UK, and France.
- India's Constituent Assembly Debates show how the framers examined foreign constitutions, including the Soviet model, while designing India's federal structure — useful for answers on the comparative influences behind the Indian Constitution.
FAQ
Q1. What is the Soviet Constitution? The Soviet Constitution refers to the constitutional documents of the USSR, of which the final and best-known version was the 1977 Constitution, also called the Brezhnev Constitution.
Q2. How many constitutions did the USSR adopt? The USSR adopted four constitutions during its existence: in 1918, 1924, 1936, and 1977.
Q3. Why is the Soviet Constitution called the world's first socialist constitution? Because it followed the October 1917 Revolution, which created the first socialist state in the world, and the resulting constitution was built around socialist and Marxist-Leninist principles.
Q4. What was distinctive about the structure of the 1977 Constitution? It was a written and rigid constitution with 20 chapters and 174 Articles across 9 parts, amendable only by a two-thirds majority in each House of the Supreme Soviet.
Q5. What replaced the Soviet Constitution after the USSR's dissolution? After the USSR disintegrated between 1989 and 1991, Russia — its largest constituent republic — adopted a new Constitution on 20 December 1993.
Quick Revision
- Soviet Constitution: the world's first socialist constitution, following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.
- Four Soviet constitutions: 1918, 1924, 1936 (Stalin), 1977 (Brezhnev).
- 1977 Constitution: written, rigid, socialist; 20 chapters, 174 Articles, 9 parts.
- Amendment needed a two-thirds majority in each House of the Supreme Soviet.
- Communist Party dominated the political system under Marxism-Leninism.
- USSR disintegrated 1989-1991; Russia adopted a new Constitution on 20 December 1993.
Sources
Further Reference
For deeper reading on this topic and the wider polity syllabus, these standard works are recommended:
- M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity (McGraw Hill) — the standard UPSC handbook.
- D.D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India (LexisNexis) — authoritative constitutional-law treatment.
- The Constitution of India — Bare Act — the official text.
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