The repeal of Article 6 of the Constitution of the USSR and the consequences

In any political process, there are events that are of a symbolic nature. Their offensive means that the Rubicon is over and the return to the old one is no longer possible. Perestroika in the Soviet Union had a significant impact on all aspects of public life, but so far the legal dominance of one party remained, many philistines and politicians considered even the most serious changes as temporary. The repeal of Article 6 of the USSR Constitution was the Rubicon, which separated the old Soviet system from the new Russian one.

The essence of the political system of the USSR under the Constitution of 1977

The so-called Brezhnev Constitution, pompously adopted at the session of the Supreme Council on October 7, 1977, not only guaranteed the citizens numerous rights and freedoms, but also enshrined the political system that had developed by that time. As in previous editions of the Basic Law, the supreme power belonged to the bicameral Supreme Soviet, which was elected at the congress of deputies. The novelty was the sixth article, in which the ruling Communist Party recognized the role of the only political force with the right to exercise power. At the highest legislative level, even the idea of opposition and alternative elections was rejected.

Perestroika and changes in political life

The repeal of Article 6 of the Constitution of the USSR was not a spontaneous phenomenon. To this event the country moved steadily, beginning with the coming to power in the spring of 1985, MS. Gorbachev. The restructuring announced by him first of all found itself in the political sphere. The policy of publicity and rehabilitation of victims of repression, open discussion on many issues and political polemics on the pages of newspapers and magazines - all these phenomena became commonplace and set up citizens for the fact that the government is ready for serious changes. One such reform was an attempt to separate the powers of party and Soviet bodies, which led to the convening in spring 1989 of the first congress of popularly elected people's deputies, whose elections for the first time in a long time were held on an alternative basis.

The repeal of Article 6 of the Constitution of the USSR: the first step is made

The first congress played a huge role in the political processes of the late 1980s and early 1990s that led to the disintegration of the great power and the beginning of the construction of a democratic state in our country. Among other things, it was at this congress that a clear demand was made for the first time that it was necessary to repeal Article 6 of the Constitution of the USSR. The year when this happened was in many ways a landmark for our country: the end of the next five-year plan was approaching, the results of which were very far from rainbow. The gradual disintegration of the socialist camp in Eastern Europe was supplemented by the desire of a number of republics (primarily the Baltic ones) to withdraw from the Union. It was in this situation that one of the leaders of the opposition Interregional Group A. Sakharov demanded that the notorious sixth article be canceled. Most did not support him, but the first stone in the foundation was laid.

II Congress of Soviets: the struggle for abolition continues

At the second Congress of Soviets, which began its work in the second decade of December 1989, the political situation has become even more radical. The repeal of Article 6 of the Constitution of the USSR became the main issue even before the plenary sessions began. The same Interregional group demanded that consideration of this issue be included in the agenda, but the conservative majority of the congress did not support it. Then Sakharov threatened mass protests, the first of which took place after his death, in February 1990. A huge two hundred-thousand-strong crowd demanded drastic changes to the Constitution. Ignore the mood of the people power no longer had the right.

Consensus search

When the impossibility of preserving the one-party system in the country became evident, the higher party leadership began to seek the most acceptable way out of this situation. At the plenum of the CPSU Central Committee, which was held on February 5, Gorbachev proposed a compromise option: the introduction of the institution of the president and the repeal of Article 6 of the Constitution of the USSR. The year was just beginning, but it was obvious that it was becoming increasingly difficult to restrain the masses, instigated from all sides by radical politicians. Most participants in the plenum, according to eyewitness recollections, were extremely negative about these innovations, but all voted for by raising their hands. The monopoly of the Communist Party in the country was signed by the verdict.

Legal securing and consequences

The decision adopted by the higher party instance had yet to pass a legislative approval. To this end, in March 1990, the third, extraordinary Congress, was assembled, which was to adopt corresponding amendments to the Constitution of the country. There was no serious controversy this time, and on March 14, 1990, significant events took place: the CPSU ceased to be the "guiding force" in society, and M. Gorbachev got the opportunity to become the first President of the gradually collapsing country. As it turned out, the repeal of Article 6 of the Constitution of the USSR did not lead to a stabilization of the political situation, but to an even greater deepening of the crisis. The country lost the link that held it together, the process of disintegration became virtually irreversible.

Today, the consequences of repealing Article 6 of the Constitution of the USSR are evaluated in different ways. Some researchers consider this to be one of the main moments in the process of the collapse of a powerful power, while others, on the contrary, point to the fact that the country simply returned to the situation of the beginning of the twentieth century, when there was a multi-party system, and development proceeded in a democratic way. What both sides agree with is that the retention of this clause of the basic law no longer corresponded to the political realities of 1990.

Having lost the monopoly, the ruling party very soon lost its positions very quickly. Soon after the events of August 1991, it will be outlawed, and for the Communists a painful process of searching for their political identity will begin.