1977 Constitution of the Soviet Union

The first chapter defined the leading role of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and established the organizational principles for the state and the government.

Article 1 defines the USSR as a socialist state, as did all previous constitutions: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is a socialist state of the whole people, expressing the will and interests of the workers, peasants, and intelligentsia, the working people of all the nations and nationalities of the country.The 1977 Constitution was long and detailed, including twenty-eight more articles than the 1936 Soviet Constitution and explicitly defined the division of responsibilities between the Central Government in Moscow and the governments of the republics.

Article 72 would play an important role in the dissolution despite the lacuna in the Soviet law, which was eventually filled under the pressure from the Republics in 1990.

[citation needed] Nevertheless, the 1977 Constitution attempted to avoid frequent amendment by establishing regulations for government bodies (especially the lists of ministries, state commissions, and other bodies in the 1936 constitution) in separate, but equally authoritative, enabling legislation, such as the Law on the Council of Ministers of 5 July 1978.

In October 1988, draft amendments and additions to the 1977 Constitution were published in the Soviet media for public discussion.

The position of chairman of the Supreme Soviet was formally designated and given specific powers, particularly leadership over the legislative agenda, the ability to issue orders (rasporiazheniia), and formal power to conduct negotiations and sign treaties with foreign governments and international organizations.

In addition, the Constitution provided for freedom of artistic work, protection of the family, inviolability of the person and home, and the right to privacy.

Among these were the rights to work, rest and leisure, health protection, care in old age and sickness, housing, education, and cultural benefits.

Article 6 effectively eliminated partisan opposition and division within government by granting to the CPSU the power to lead and guide society.

Article 59 obliged citizens to obey the laws and comply with the standards of socialist society as determined by the Party.

In fact, the Supreme Soviet never introduced amendments specifically designed to protect human rights.

The Soviet Union also signed the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Accords), which mandated that internationally recognized human rights be respected in the signatory countries, yet it was not until the late 1980s that realigning constitutional and domestic law with international commitments on human rights was publicly debated.

All citizens performed military service as a duty to safeguard and "enhance the power and prestige of the Soviet state."

Finally, the Constitution required parents to train their children for socially useful work and to raise them to be worthy members of the socialist society.