All-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets Всеукраїнський з'їзд Рад Vseukrayinsky zyizd Rad | |
|---|---|
 Ukrainian SSR | |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Established | 17 December [O.S. 4 December] 1917 |
| Disbanded | 21 February 1938[1][2] |
| Preceded by | Central Council of Ukraine |
| Succeeded by | Ukrainian SSR |
| Seats | Variable |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Building of Noble Assembly,Kharkiv | |
| Constitution | |
| Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR | |
TheAll-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets (Ukrainian:Всеукраїнський з'їзд Рад,romanized: Vseukraïns'kyy zyizd Rad,Russian:Всеукраинский съезд Советов,romanized: Vseukrainskiy syezd Sovetov) was the supreme governing body of theUkrainian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1917–38. From 1922 to 1938 theConstitution of the Ukrainian SSR, modeled on the1918 Russian Constitution, mandated that Congress to be convened at least twice a year. The 1926 Constitution (in correspondence to all Soviet constitutions) lowered the minimum to once a year.
In total there were 14 Congresses of Soviets that for most of the time took place in Kharkiv.
Following the end of theRussian Civil War and foreign military intervention, in Ukraine the ruling party ofBolsheviks continued actively to use the Soviet form ofdictatorship of proletariat in its internal policy.[3] Formation of composition and structure of the All-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets, theAll-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee, and its Presidium continued to be carried out with help of undemocratic and multi-stage electoral system under the leadership of the Bolshevik Party organs.[3] According to the 1919Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR, active and passive electoral right at elections to local Soviets was granted only to workers, soldiers, and sailors as well as foreigners who belonged to workers' class and working peasantry (Article 20).[3] Deprived of the right to vote, "even if they belong to one of the above categories", were those individuals who used hired labor with a selfish purpose or live on unearned income, private traders, commercial middlemen, monks and spiritual superiors, officials and agents of former police, members of theHouse of Romanov, deranged and those who are under guardianship, sentenced.[3] The constitutional legislation of theRussian SFSR and otherunion republics has deprived of the right to vote those categories of people for political and laborious conditions.[3] Later those restriction expanded to those "working elements" who labeled themselves by clearlykulak actions or active protests against theSoviet regime, formerPetlurites, "bandits of any kind", moonshiners, deserters, and other enemies of the Soviet regime.[3]
TheAll-Ukrainian Congress of Workers', Soldiers', and Peasants' Deputies[1] convened in Kyiv from December 17 (December 4, old style) to December 19, 1917, in the hall of the M. Sadovsky Theater (also known as Trinity Public House). Over 2,500 delegates participated at the congress. The Congress was called by the Kyiv regional soviet of workers' and soldiers' deputies on the request of the Bolshevik organizations of Ukraine. Concurrently, a regional congress of Bolsheviks of Ukraine took place in Kyiv from December 16 to 18. The Bolshevik Congress created a united political party of Ukraine the "RSDLP(b) - Social-Democracy of Ukraine" headed by the Chief Committee.
The first addressed issue was the election of the Congress presidium which was headed by the honorary chairman of congressMykhailo Hrushevsky. The central question on the congress agenda was the "Ultimatum of the Sovnarkom of Russia to the Central Council of Ukraine". On December 18, 1917, the congress condemned the ultimatum. The Bolshevik faction leader and member of organizational committeeVladimir Zatonsky announced that there has been a misunderstanding as too many delegates that were present at the congress without a right of vote. Zatonsky proposed to announce a break and check credentials of all delegates. As an answer to the proposal, the leader of the Peasant AssociationMykola Stasyuk declared that the regional committee of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies wished to falsify the will of Ukrainian people by giving preference to workers and soldier who in addition were not even Ukrainians over peasants. Therefore, the central committee of the Peasant Association took care on its part to increase the peasant representation at the congress. After that Bolsheviks proposed to recognize the congress as a consultative meeting. When the proposal was rejected, the 127 supporters of Bolsheviks left the congress in protest. The rest participating delegates recognized the assembly as a competent congress, and expressed support for theCentral Rada.[2]
On December 18, 1917, the 124 delegates from 49 Soviets who left the Kyiv Congress gathered at a separate meeting in the Kyiv Central Bureau of Trade Unions.
On December 21, 1917, theRed Guards of theSoviet Russia led byVladimir Antonov-Ovseyenko occupiedKharkiv. At night on December 22, 1917, the Russian Red Guards with local Bolsheviks disarmed Ukrainian military units and arrested leaders of theKharkiv City Council and garrison. On December 23, 1917 Bolsheviks established arevkom (revolutionary committee). The headquarters of a local Red Guard was established on December 14, 1917, and was located in the Stock Exchange building at Market Square (todayPloshcha Konstytutsii or Constitution Square).
On December 24–25, 1917 in the Kharkivbuilding of Noble Assembly (Market Square) another First Congress of Soviets was held. The congress gathered initially 964 participants, amount of which later grew to 1250. The congress reviewed several issues: attitudes towards the Central Council of Ukraine, war and peace as well as about organization of military force, about Ukraine and Soviet Russia, estate and financial issues and others.
The congress approved theTreaty of Brest-Litovsk betweenRussian SFSR andCentral Powers, declared the independence of the Soviet Ukrainian People's Republic as a federative republic of Soviet Russia, Law about socialization of land adopted by the 3rd All-Russian Congress of Soviets, "About state system", decrees on 8-hour work day and labor control, organization of the Workers-Peasant Red Army of Ukraine. The policy of theCentral Council of Ukraine in the resolution "About political moment" was condemned requesting withdrawal of the Austrian and German Armed Forces from Ukraine. Participants elected the new composition of theCentral Executive Committee of Ukraine of 102 members headed byVladimir Zatonsky.
The Second All-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets took place inKaterynoslav.
The Congress ceased to exist at the end of the constitutional reform of 1936-1937, when the first on theunion and then at therepublican levelsindirect election to Soviets were replaced bydirect elections at all levels with theSupreme Soviet as the highest body.
| Order | Date | Location | Main events | Delegates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I[4] (not bolshevik-controlled) | December 17–19 [O.S. December 4–6], 1917 | Kyiv | Adaption of theCentral Council of Ukraine as the supreme authority Mykhailo Hrushevsky (Chairman of the Central Council of Ukraine) | 2,000–2,500 |
| I(bolshevik-controlled) | December 24–25 [O.S. December 11–12], 1917 | Kharkiv | Proclamation of the Soviet power, establishing of Ukraine as a federative entity of theRussian SFSR, creation of thePeople's Secretariat, called on people of Ukraine to fight against the national-bourgeoisCentral Council of Ukraine Yukhym Medvedev (Chairman of theCentral Executive Committee) | <200 |
| II | March 17–19, 1918 | Katerynoslav | Approved the SovietTreaty of Brest-Litovsk and only formally breaks the federative union with Russia Decided to create the Red Army and will fight against the restored bourgeois power, adopted "temporary provisions on socialization of land"Volodymyr Zatonsky (Chairman of theCentral Executive Committee) | 964 |
| III | March 6–10, 1919 | Kharkiv | Reformed the government body of Ukraine, approved the decision to create regular Red Army, policies of the People's Commissariat of Food supply andwar communism, adaptation of the firstConstitution of the Ukrainian SSR Grigory Petrovsky (Chairman of theCentral Executive Committee) | 1,719 |
| IV | May 16–20, 1920 | Kharkiv | Polish–Soviet War Committees of Poor Peasants | 811 |
| V | February 25 – March 3, 1921 | Kharkiv | Ratification of the 1920Union Workers-Peasant Treaty between Soviet Ukraine and Soviet Russia, Adopted resolutions on revival of coal and metallurgical industries, electrification, improving land use | 841 |
| VI | December 14–17, 1921 | Kharkiv | Prodnalog, grain fund for poor peasants and the 1922 sowing campaign New Economic Policy | 820 |
| VII | December 10–14, 1922 | Kharkiv | Declaration on creation of theSoviet Union Election of delegates to the 10th Congress of Soviets of the Russian SFSR | 785 |
| VIII | January 17–20, 1924 | Kharkiv | ||
| IX | May 3–10, 1925 | Kharkiv | Amendments to the Constitution in correspondence with the1924 Soviet Constitution | 838 |
| X | April 6–13, 1927 | Kharkiv | 1,059 | |
| XI | May 7–15, 1929 | Kharkiv | Adaptation of the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR as member of the Soviet Union | 893 |
| XII | February 25 – March 4, 1931 | Kharkiv | ||
| XIII | January 15–22, 1935 | Kyiv | ||
| XIV (extraordinary) | January 25–31, 1937 | Kyiv | Transformation of theCongress of Soviets and theCentral Executive Committee into theSupreme Soviet andPresidium of the Supreme Soviet respectively Adaptation of theStalinist edition of theConstitution of the Ukrainian SSR |
According to article 24 of the 1929Constitution, the Congress was composed by delegates from theAll-Modavian Congress of Soviets and the Congresses of Soviets of theOkruhas. For every 10,000 voters in cities andurban-type settlements and every 50,000 inhabitants ofrural council areas, one delegate should be elected.[5]
The exclusive jurisdiction of the Congress consisted of:
On the other issues the Congress and Central Executive Committee had the same authority.