USSR Constitution Day (from 1978 to 1991 was a non-working day)

On October 7, USSR Constitution Day was celebrated in all 15 republics of the Soviet Union The date coincided with the adoption of the new Basic Law in 1977 In honor of this event, A Pakhmutova and N Dobronravov wrote the composition “A Country Beautiful as Youth,” which was performed by M Magomaev and T Sinyavskaya For the solemn date, tabletop medals were made, postage stamps were issued (“Adoption of the new Constitution The people and the party are united,” etc), more than 20 types of badges, pennants and other paraphernalia October 7 became a public holiday The first Basic Law, adopted as a result of the 1917 revolution, was based on the “Declaration of the Rights of the Working and Exploited People” The text of the document was approved by the V Congress of Soviets in the summer of 1918 The articles of the Constitution of the RSFSR consolidated the dictatorship of the proletariat and deprived the political rights of persons who lived on unearned income Despite the inviolability of the Basic Law, it was periodically subject to changes The Constitution of the USSR was adopted in an updated form several times: • in 1925 due to changes in the administrative and territorial division of the country, the powers of Soviet government bodies; • in 1936, due to the replacement of the name of the state (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic), the introduction of productive government of the country, and not emergency rule as during the Civil War, the complete transfer of power to the Soviets; • in 1977 due to new political realities - the proclamation of the completion of the construction of developed socialism in the Soviet Union, the transition from the dictatorship of the proletariat to the state of peasants, workers and intelligentsia Until 1976, the holiday in honor of the adoption of the Basic Law was celebrated annually on December 5 It was on this day that the 1936 Constitution was approved It secured the victory of socialism, a new electoral system without class restrictions, the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Land of Soviets On October 7, 1977, the text of the new constitution was approved, the development of which began under the leadership of NS Khrushchev in 1962 In December 1964, LI took the place of chairman of the Constitutional Commission Brezhnev This was due to the removal of NS from the post of head of state on October 14 of the same year Khrushchev The Basic Law, amended in 1977, gave rights to labor collectives, renamed the councils from workers to people's deputies, and added other changes to the text of the document From that time on, Constitution Day was celebrated without changes until 1993 The collapse of the USSR made adjustments to the list of solemn state dates Remained in the distant past is Revolution Day, which was celebrated on November 7 and 8 with demonstrations with flags, flowers and banners With the change of realities and political system, other celebrations also disappeared: Pioneer Day and the Komsomol Birthday Despite the highly ideological nature of Soviet holidays, they helped unite people, instilled confidence in the future and gave hope for a bright future Therefore, everyone who cherishes memories of childhood, youth and adult years spent in the USSR remembers that Constitution Day was celebrated on October 7, and honors this date as a tribute to the irretrievably gone past