- The Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (established in December 1922) was made up total 11 republics. (This was to grow to 15 following the annexation of the Baltic states in 1940 as well as Moldova.)
- Stalin's new Constitution of 1936 replaced that of 1924
(It was was largely work of Nikolai Bukharin who has been one of the main figures of the Right Opposition against Stalin in the late 1920's but made 'a come back' to Soviet policy in the 1930's because 'had changed his views'. However, he was shooted after a show trial in 1938).

- According to the Constitution, the law making body was The Supreme Soviet which consists two houses of equal authority:
A. The Soviet of the Union
- 750 elected deputies representing the constituencies
B. The Soviet of Nationalities
- 630 members from the republics and the other autonomous regions and the nationalities made up the Soviet Union
- A + B elected the 33 members of the Presidium
> The President of the Presidium was the head of the state
- The Council of Ministers (government) was elected by the Supreme Soviet
- Each republic elected its own Soviet

* In reality: the Supreme Soviet existed mainly to approve the legislation placed before it by the Secretariat of the Communist Party
- The CPSU was the only party allowed to exist
- The main decision making body of the Party was the Politburo (= Political Bureau)
< controlled the actions of all government departments > the most powerful political organisation in the USSR
- The direction of the Party policy lay in the hands of the Central Committee (included members and non-voting 'candidate members')
- The most influential position was that of The General Secretetary of the Party

* Elections: Voting was by secret ballot and universal suffrage was extended to all men and women aged over 18 (only exceptions were being insane and prisoners)
- Candidates have to be nominated by the Party organisations > the voters had to choose from a list approved by the Party
- Everyone was expected to vote (> the turn of the elections was in the region of 98-99%)

TASKS:
1) Compare the role of the Party and the state in Soviet political system described above.
2) Consider, how democratic the Soviet system was after the constitutional reform.