One of the most important elements of the country's further development was the adoption in 1977 of the USSR Constitution, and then on its basis directly the 1978 Constitution of the RSFSR. For the entire time the Soviet country existed, it was already the fourth, but it was with its help that the constitutional system of the former state was able to get a new round of development. Even now, it is quite easy to find correlations in the Constitutions of 1978 and the Constitution of 1993, which is valid in modern times, despite the fact that the new version completely crossed out the existing political system that previously existed.
Adoption time
For the first time, a new version of the Russian Constitution of 1978 came into force in accordance with the issued Declaration of the Supreme Council of the country on April 12, 1978.
It was adopted at the 7th session of the Ninth Convocation of Deputies, which was an extraordinary one. At that time, the adoption of the new Constitution of the USSR prompted to change the main law of the country, therefore, its content did not make any special political unrest in the initial version. The existing changes were minimal, changing only the terms of office and changing a number of names of bodies.
Validity
The Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1978 did a great stir at a later date, becoming famous as the most unstable in the world. In total, it operated for 15 years, the last years of which fell on the collapse of the USSR. Gradually, significant changes occurred in the content of not only the articles, but also the original essence of the 1978 Constitution. Originally announced by the RSFSR only as a union republic within a vast country, it then established it as a completely independent state. That is why, in order to characterize the 1978 Constitution, the period of its validity should be divided into two stages in order to examine its internal content in more detail.
First stage
In the first 10 years of its existence, this document was built on the standard constitutional system for the USSR.
Until the period of perestroika began, all the changes introduced were minimal, and therefore the country was on the same track. For that period, a number of characteristics are characteristic that can be traced in the political system and other legal acts.
Specific traits
The Constitution of 1978 at the first stage can be characterized by the following theses:
- By itself, it was created in order to characterize in the state the new period that the Soviet state entered, namely, "Developed Socialism". There was a gradual transition from the dictatorship of the proletariat to a real and strong nation-wide state along the path leading to communism. This factor was fixed in the very first articles. It was in them that all power was also given to the people, since it was the subject of power. Despite this, the class character in the 1978 Constitution was still preserved. The role of the working class remained predominant in the very essence.
- The Communist Party in the sixth article was recognized as leading. It was she who directed the policy of the state on the internal and external front. For this, a separate article was singled out in the very first chapter, which made the only party the basis of the existing state system.
- For the first time, the principle of the equality of all citizens before the law was affirmed. Socialist democracy has further expanded the existing framework. An expanded list of civil rights was listed. In particular, it was proposed to raise the most important issues first for general discussion, and then a vote.
- The 1978 Constitution was significantly larger in content than previous versions. In total, it contained 22 chapters, which dramatically changed the structure of the document. Constitutional norms began to be subdivided according to substantive features, which confirmed higher efficiency in the process of forming state legal institutions.
- The provisions on the federal structure of the RSFSR have also changed. Autonomous districts appeared that exist today.
- The RSFSR became officially recognized as a sovereign state.
Second phase
The fundamental changes in this document began only after 1989. It began solely out of the need to bring the Constitution of 1978 to the new revision of the main law of the USSR.
After this, frequent amendments began, which were supposed to stabilize a country on the verge of collapse.
First amendments
The first amendments began under the influence of the Supreme Council in the Ninth Convocation. The following changes have occurred:
- A new supreme body of state power was appointed - the Congress of People's Deputies. He was elected for 5 years by universal suffrage of citizens over 18 years of age. He met only once a year for the election of the Supreme Council from two chambers, which performed legislative functions. The highest official in the country was the chairman of the Supreme Council.
- In May 1990, a new amendment appeared that increased the number of vice chairs to three from one.
- In June of that year (1990), a multi-party system was established in the RSFSR, the point about the Communist Party itself was completely deleted.
The collapse of the USSR
After the fall of the Soviet Union , this Constitution was still in effect for a while. This fact was reflected in the document itself. First of all, on December 15, 1990, the fact that the RSFSR began to possess state sovereignty was introduced into it. This is fixed directly in the preamble and the first article.
Another important fact of the formation of the new system was the abolition of the previously existing system of state arbitration. It was completely replaced by a system of arbitration courts. After that, in 1992 and 1993, a political crisis began in the country. The constant confrontation between the two groups - the President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin and the Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin - created an unstable political situation that resulted in an armed conflict. There were many victims, not only among the military, but also among civilians. After that, Yeltsin came to power, under whose rule the current Constitution of the Russian Federation was ultimately adopted.
The main points of the Constitution
In its latest edition of April 21, 1992, the following basic provisions can be found in the 1978 Constitution:
- In the political system, all power was given to the multinational people. The country was obliged to adhere to the following principles: federalism, a republican form of government, and a system of separation of powers.
- In economic terms, the existence of private, collective, state, municipal ownership was recognized. The state was obliged to create optimal conditions for their development and to protect equally. Land, subsoil and water were considered public property.
- In the social basis of the Russian Federation stood an indestructible alliance of peasants, workers and intelligentsia. This made it possible to strengthen society and remove class differences.
- The state and society as a whole were obliged to recognize the rights and freedoms of man, as well as his dignity and honor, as the highest value existing in the country. All of them were given to him from birth. Also, everyone was absolutely equal before the court, regardless of origin and status.
- The republics and autonomous okrugs, as well as the normative acts adopted by them, began to have much more real significance than before. Their competencies and functions have been greatly expanded.