Question | Answer |
What had Lenin quickly introduced in 1918? | A constitution. |
When had Lenin quickly introduced a constitution? | 1918 |
What happened to the constitution quickly introduced by Lenin in 1918? | It had been replaced in 1924 by a new one that recognised the creation of the USSR - the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. |
What happened to the constitution of 1924? | In 1936, a new one was written by Bukharin. It was described by Stalin as 'the most democratic in the world'. It guaranteed people their rights, including freedom of speech and religion. |
What was the part of the Bukharin's 1936 constitution that related to elections? | A Supreme Soviet would be elected by everyone aged 18 and over in a secret ballot. |
What were the issues with the Supreme Soviet? | Only Communist Party members were allowed to be candidates, and the Supreme Soviet met for only two weeks a year. The ruling committee of the party, controlled by Stalin, had the real power. |
Instead of the Supreme Soviet, who had the real power in the USSR? | The ruling committee of the party, controlled by Stalin. |
In what way were Stalin's secret police, the NKVD, included in Bukharin's 1936 constitution? | They were not - they acted outside constitution. |
What did it mean that the NKVD acted outside constitution? | That they could do whatever they wanted - imprisonment or murder for anyone under suspicion. |