The Constituent Assembly is a political authority in Russia, created in 1917. The first and last time he was convened in 1918 to adopt a constitution. The results of his activities were the conclusion of a peace treaty, the nationalization of the land, the recognition of Russia as a democratic republic, and the liquidation of the monarchy. However, it did not recognize Soviet power and most of its decrees.
In January 1918, the Bolsheviks dispersed the Constituent Assembly.
For representatives of most parties of that time, the creation of this political body was due to the need to rid Russia of the outdated system. The Constituent Assembly had special hopes associated with the creation of a legal democratic state.
In addition, the majority of progressive parties sought by the forces of this structure to resolve the issue of Russia's participation in the war.
However, as a result of the fall of the monarchy, which happened very quickly, a serious crisis of supreme power formed in the country. As a result, a sharp confrontation arose between the Provisional Government and the executive branch represented by the Soviets of Workers. All this led to complete chaos in economics and politics. Elections to the Constituent Assembly were postponed, which further exacerbated the situation.
According to witnesses of the unfolding events, in Russia at that time there was a struggle for power "vice versa", i.e. each political group sought to “shove” the burden of decision-making onto others' shoulders.
But as soon as the Bolsheviks took control of the executive branch, almost all other parties rose up against them.
Such was the political situation, which ultimately caused the dispersal of the Constituent Assembly.
Lenin was against the creation of this structure, since he considered the Republic of Soviets a more perfect form of government. All the more forces fought for its creation, which were going to oppose it to Soviet power.
The fate of the Constituent Assembly, as well as the country's development path, depended on which parties won the election. The Bolsheviks began to consider in advance the possibility of dissolving the Constituent Assembly in the event that it would advance anti-Soviet decisions.
According to the election results, the Bolsheviks were inferior to many parties. From November 1917 to January 1918, many attempts were made to postpone the convening of the meeting in order to have time to adopt decrees insuring them in the event that deputies make decisions against the Soviet government. At this time, other parties fought for the work of the Constituent Assembly to take place.
Finally, it began work on January 5 (18 - in a new style) on January 1918. Almost immediately, the Bolsheviks and the Left Socialist Revolutionaries left the meeting, and soon declared the activity of the assembly counter-revolutionary. Thus, the Constituent Assembly was dispersed.
In order to prevent re-convening, during 1918 the Bolsheviks arrested the most active members of the opposition parties.
Another event that caused a wide response was the murder of two leaders of the constitutional democratic party - Shingarev and Kokoshkin. This happened on the night of the sixth to the seventh of January.
The dispersal of the Constituent Assembly was another reason for starting a civil war. Perhaps that is why the right-wing forces did not show real resistance to the Bolsheviks when the dissolution was carried out. In other words, the anti-Bolshevik parties hoped to destroy Soviet power by force.
Most members of the Constituent Assembly were arrested and executed by the Bolsheviks during 1918. In addition, the Bolsheviks very quickly took other measures to strengthen their positions. The All-Russian Congress of Workers and Peasants was convened, which proclaimed the creation of the Russian Soviet Republic, the principle of equalizing land use was approved, and the Declaration of the Rights of Workers was adopted.