The Constitution is the basic law of any state, regulating the rights and obligations of citizens of the country, determining the social system, 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 country's main law was marked in red on the calendar: October 7, Constitution Day of the USSR.
Brezhnev constitution
By a resolution of the supreme authority of the Soviet Union in 1977, a new fundamental law was adopted, in connection with which the date of the holiday was set - October 7, Constitution Day of the USSR. The latest version of the Constitution was valid on the territory of the former Union until 1991. Adopted during the reign of L. I. Brezhnev, it received the national name - Brezhnev.
The Constitution was adopted after active discussion in society - its draft was circulated in the newspaper Pravda. About 140 million people took part in the formation of certain provisions. The constitution has been debated for 4 months. Many of the proposals made by citizens were taken into account and used to finalize laws. The final version of the Constitution was considered and approved by the highest authorities of the country, and the date of its adoption went down in history as the Constitution Day of the USSR, October 7.
Constitutional Commission
The first attempts to create a basic law that meets international standards of legal civil society, officially began to be undertaken in 1962. At the next, XII Congress of the CPSU, a decision was made on the need for a new Constitution for the Union republics and the entire state as a whole. The corresponding resolution and the working commission were created in 1962, Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev was appointed chairman of the commission . But in connection with his departure from the political arena in December 1964, the chairmanship was transferred to Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev.
Ten years to develop
For three years, the commission was engaged in the development of legal norms, but did not succeed in this field. The lawmaking process that began was suspended in 1967, when L. I. Brezhnev declared that the Soviet Union should become a developed socialist country. The theory of developed socialism required the relevant provisions in the basic law. Over the course of several years, more than ten subcommissions were engaged in the scientific substantiation of the theory of developed socialism and the possibilities of transition to communism in a single country. Only after the preparation of the political and scientific base did they begin to develop constitutional laws.
The main sections of the Constitution
The goal of the USSR state was to build a classless society, and the date of adoption of the Constitution was fixed at the state level as a holiday: October 7 is the Constitution Day of the USSR. The new rules of state life were described in nine sections and contained a theoretical and ideological introduction.
| Section | Content |
| Preamble | The historical path of the country's development from the time of the Great October Revolution was described, scientific and political justifications for the existence of developed socialism were given, 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 the individual and the state. |
| Third | Strengthened the national-state system of the USSR. |
| Fourth | Dedicated to the systems of election and the principles of the activity of Soviets of People's Deputies |
| Fifth | The activity and selectivity of the bodies of the highest state power and administration of the USSR was regulated. |
| Sixth | Dedicated to the highest authorities in the Union republics. |
| Seventh | The activities of the courts, prosecutorial supervision and arbitration activities were consolidated. |
| Eighth | On state symbols. |
| Ninth | Dedicated to the operation of the basic law and the procedure for amending it. |
The time period 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 manage 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 dismissed in 1964 - the Constitution was adopted without his participation.
Constitutional Continuity
The changing conditions for the existence of the state demanded changes in the basic law, which were implemented in the Brezhnev constitution. Most of them were of the so-called cosmetic nature, but there were also differences. In the new edition, the role of popular organizations based on public principles in the life of the state increased, a one-party system was affirmed, the fact of the transition socialist period was recognized, the main goal was preserved - the achievement of communism.
Most of the population of the USSR favorably or indifferently accepted not very noticeable changes. But there was something that caused dissatisfaction of citizens. With the appointment of a new date - October 7 (Constitution Day of the USSR), a day off in connection with this holiday in 1977-1979. not added for calendar reasons. The overwhelming majority of people did not like the loss of the day off.
In Russia, the Constitution Day of the USSR (October 7) is just a memorable date and an occasion for many citizens to recall the principles of the former state system.