CONSTITUTION OF THE U.S.S.R. - Introduction - Section I, Chapter I

Sep 21, 2026

Constitution of the U.S.S.R. presents the ideological and legal foundations of workers’ and peasants’ power through the federation of national soviet republics. The introduction frames the Russian revolution as a disturbance of capitalist equilibrium, emphasizing protection of workers’ rights over profit, and explaining why constitutional limits matter. Section I, Chapter I defines the Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic as a socialist state and establishes core freedoms, including freedom of conscience and opinion.

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Introduction

Section I, Chapter I

97-84221-10Soviet Union. Constitution of theU.S.S.R. Chicago [1927?] COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISIONBIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD 308Fng.ZBox 902Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.Consti-tution.Constitution of the U.S.S.R.lishts of thetrade unions in the u.S.S.R.,by V.Yarotsky.Social insurance in the U.S.S.R.,by N.Ye-kovsky.Chicago,Daily orker PublishingCo.192-,39 p.(Little red library,no.10)15°Cc BESTBICTIONS ON USE: Reproductions may not be made without permission from Columbia University Libraries. TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: 35mREDUCTION BATIO: 9:/DATE FILMED: 10-14-976 IMAGE PLACEMENT:IA( IB iIB INITIALS: TRACKING\#: 29024 LITTLE RED LIBRARY CONSTITUTION OF THEU.S.S.R.RIGH TS OF T R ADEUNIONS IN THE U.s.S.R.8By T.Yarot*kysOCIAL INSURANCEIN THE U.s.S.R.･ CONSTITUTIONCONSTITUTIONOF THE U.S.S.R.OF THE U.S.S.R.— # INTRODUCTION. The dominating interest of the world was for a longtime private property and profit.All legislative effortsof society evolved exelusively around these two poles ofthe axle of capitalism,private property and profit.But since the world_war the equilibrium of this systemhas been disturbed.Part of the globe has emancipateditself from the centrifugal forces of caiptalism.This partbegan to rotate in a different direction. The Russian revolution took one-sixth of the globe fromcapitalism. While the capitalists maintain that the purpose ofthe world is to supply the highest possible profits eventho the workers may starve by it,the Russian revolu-tion raised the principle that the world must supply theworkers with the best living possible tho the capitalistsmay starve by it.And the howl of the“outraged”cap-italists against this new principle is answered by the echoof a phrase which the capitalists themselves have in-variably thrown into the faces of complaining workers:Why don't you work! This new world of the proletariat,which was begun bythe Russian workers,could not be finished in one day.Its upbuilding is a diffeult process.The Russian work-ers are still alone in the work of accomplishing thisprocess. As a foundation for this new world the Russian work-ers have made themselves the ruling class.And as theruling class they center their legislative efforts no longeron how to make and how to inerease profits but on howto help and how to protect the workers. The constitution of the Soviet Union supplies thestrueture of the workers'government in Russia.Andthe labor laws of the Soviet Union give a picture of theaccomplishments of the workers'rule in the direction ofthe protection of the workers and their rights.The constitution and the labor laws of the SovietUnion thus become matters of tremendous interest forthe workers of the world.The accomplishments of theproletarian revolution in Russia cannot be judged alone by the immediate changes in the economie well beingof the Russian workers.Although a great change hastaken place in this direction too,yet the general back-wardness of Russian industrial life and the incomparablylower standards that the Russian worker was subjectedto in old Russia must lead judgment on this basis onlyto unsatisfactory and incomplete conclusions.The mainquestion is how far have the workers of Russia succeededin building up their political power.Success in this lineinsures the speedy progress of the construction of thenew society in every other line. In order to enable the American workers to judge forthemselves what progress the Russlan workers havemade in their revolution we submit to them in this littlevolume the most important portions of the constitutionof the Soviet Union and of the labor laws. We do not want to hide from the reader the limita-tions of franchise which this constitution provide

FAQs

What does the introduction argue about the shift from capitalist priorities to workers’ priorities?

It states that the revolution raised the principle that the world must supply workers with the best living possible, while workers’ legislative efforts center on protecting workers rather than increasing profits.

How is power organized in the Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic according to Section I, Chapter I?

It says all power is vested in the Soviets of workers, peasant, Cossack, and Red Army deputies within the federation’s precincts.

What freedoms are guaranteed in this section regarding religion and the press?

It guarantees freedom of conscience through separation of church and state and school and church, and freedom of opinion by abolishing the dependence of the press.

Sep 21, 2026

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