Stalin Constitution

Soviet history

Also known as: Constitution of 1936

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

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The Stalin Constitution, adopted in 1936, served as the formal framework for the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin's rule. While it guaranteed various human rights, its provisions were not consistently applied, and the political process remained fluid and often violent. The constitution continued in effect until 1977, but the actual rules of governance were dictated by Stalin and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This period was marked by extensive political purges and repression, with the legal system serving as an instrument of party policy rather than an independent arbiter of justice.123

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constitution
Constitutional change
The Stalin constitution continued, together with the Rules of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, to serve as the formal framework of government until the ratification of a new, though rather similar, constitution in 1977. The procedures established by these documents, however, were not able…
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The Stalin constitution continued, together with the Rules of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, to serve as the formal framework of government until the ratification of a new, though rather similar, constitution in 1977. The procedures established by these documents, however, were not able…
Read More