TheCongress of Soviets was the supreme governing body of theRussian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and several otherSoviet republics and national autonomies in theSoviet Russia and theSoviet Union from 1917 to 1936 and a somewhat similarCongress of People's Deputies from 1989 to 1991. After thecreation of the Soviet Union, theCongress of Soviets of the Soviet Union functioned as its legislative branch until its dissolution in 1936. Its initial full name was the "Congress of Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies". It was also sometimes known as the "Congress of People's Deputies." A similar name also applied incommunist-held China in theRepublican era.
The Congress of Soviets was an assembly of representatives of local councils. In theory, it was the supreme power of the Soviet State, an organ of thedictatorship of the proletariat. Nobourgeois, no noble, no aristocrat, no priest could vote – onlyworking people. Officially, the Congress of Soviets created laws and elected theCouncil of People's Commissars, which was the government. In the interim its functions were performed by designated executive bodies, titledCentral Executive Committees, such as theAll-Russian Central Executive Committee in Russia. In practice the Congresses became increasingly deferential to theBolsheviks after theRussian Revolution.[1]
By the time ofLenin's death in 1924 the Congress of Soviets effectively onlyrubber-stamped the decisions of theCommunist Party and served as apropaganda tribune.[2] The1936 Constitution eliminated the Congress of Soviets, making theSupreme Soviet of the Soviet Union its highest legislative institution. During this time theCentral Committee of the AUCP(b) heldde facto control over the government.
TheBolsheviks convened anAll-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies inKyiv, on December 17, 1917, and in Kharkiv on December 25, 1917.
TheChinese Communist Party had convened the National Congress of Chinese Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies inRuijin, a city inJiangxi Province on November 7, 1931. The National Congress of Chinese Soviets is the forerunner to theNational People's Congress of the People's Republic of China.