October 7, Constitution Day of the USSR - the law of the country, which no longer exists

The Constitution is the basic law of any state,regulating the rights and duties of citizens of the country, determining the social system, the form of government, symbols and so on. During the existence of the USSR, three constitutions were adopted, and the last edition was in 1977. The date of establishment of the basic law of the country was marked in red on the calendar: October 7, Constitution Day of the USSR.

The Brezhnev Constitution

Resolution of the supreme authority of the SovietUnion in 1977, a new fundamental law was adopted, in connection with which the date of the holiday - October 7, the Constitution Day of the USSR was appointed. The last edition of the Constitution acted on the territory of the former Soviet Union until 1991. Adopted during the reign of Leonid Brezhnev, she received the popular name - Brezhnevskaya.

The Constitution was adopted after an activediscussions in society - her project was replicated in the newspaper Pravda. About 140 million people took part in the formation of certain provisions. The Constitution was discussed for 4 months. Many of the proposals put forward by citizens were taken into account and used to refine the laws. The final version of the Constitution was reviewed and approved by the country's highest authorities, and the date of its adoption went down in history as the Constitution Day of the USSR, on October 7.

The Constitutional Commission

The first attempts to create a basic law,corresponding to the world standards of legal civil society, officially began to be undertaken since 1962. At the next, XII Congress of the CPSU, a decision was taken on the need for a new Constitution for the Union republics and the entire state as a whole. The corresponding decision and the working commission were created in 1962, the chairman of the commission appointed Nikita Khrushchev. But in connection with his departure from the political arena, in December 1964 the chairmanship was transferred to Leonid Brezhnev.

Ten years to develop

For three years the commission was engaged in the development of legalnorms, but did not succeed in this field. The beginning of the process of lawmaking was suspended in 1967, when Leonid Brezhnev declared that the Soviet Union should become a developed socialist country. The theory of developed socialism required corresponding provisions in the basic law. For several years, more than ten subcommissions have been engaged in scientific substantiation of the theory of developed socialism and the possibilities of transition to communism in a separate country. Only after the preparation of the political and scientific base have begun to develop constitutional laws.

Main sections of the Constitution

The aim of the USSR state was to buildclass society, and the date of adoption of the Constitution was fixed at the state level as a holiday: October 7 - the Day of the Constitution of the USSR. The new rules of life of the state were painted in nine sections and contained a theoretical and ideological introduction.

Section	Content
Preamble	The historical development of the countrythe moment of the Great October Revolution, scientific and political substantiations of the existence of developed socialism were cited, development paths leading to the communist model of society were outlined.
First	It included a provision on the social system and state policy.
Second	Regulated the relationship of an individual and the state.
The third	He strengthened the national-state structure of the USSR.
Fourth	Dedicated to election systems and the principles of the activity of the Soviets of People's Deputies.
Fifth	The activities and selectivity of the highest state power and government bodies of the USSR were regulated.
Sixth	Dedicated to the organs of supreme power in the Union republics.
Seventh	The activity of the courts, prosecutor's supervision and arbitration activities were consolidated.
Eighth	On the state symbols.
Ninth	Dedicated to the operation of the fundamental law and the procedure for making changes to it.

The time line, when the Constitution was being prepared,was marked by a change of power in the USSR. The initiator of the creation of new laws of the country, N. Khrushchev, did not have time to announce the festive date for the adoption of the new law - October 7, Constitution Day of the USSR. Khrushchev became the head of state in 1953, and was sent into retirement in 1964 - the Constitution was adopted without his participation.

Continuity of Constitutions

The changing conditions for the existence of the statedemanded changes in the basic law, which were implemented in the Brezhnev Constitution. For the most part, they wore a so-called cosmetic character, but there were also differences. The new version increased the role of people's organizations based on social principles in the life of the state, a one-party system was affirmed, the fact of a transitional socialist period was recognized, and the main goal-the achievement of communism-was preserved.

Most of the USSR population is supportive orindifferently accepted not very noticeable changes. But there was something that aroused the discontent of the citizens. When appointing a new date - October 7 (Constitution Day of the USSR), the day off in connection with this holiday in 1977-1979. was not added for calendar reasons. The overwhelming majority of people lost the day off, not to taste.

In Russia, the Constitution Day of the USSR (October 7) is simply a memorable date and an occasion for many citizens to recall the principles of the former state system.