Structure/Behavior of the Supreme Soviet

[JPSartre12]

How was the Supreme Soviet of the USSR structured and how much power did it actually have?

I know that there were two chambers in it, the Soviet of Nationalities and the Soviet of the Union, but what made the two different from one another?

When the Supreme Soviet formed the Presidium, how accountable was it? How much power did it actually have, in comparison to the Presidium?

What relation did the Supreme Soviet / Presidium have with the Politburo?

[Ilyich]

How was the Supreme Soviet of the USSR structured and how much power did it actually have?

I'll take a shot at this (though, as always, I could very well be wrong).


I know that there were two chambers in it, the Soviet of Nationalities and the Soviet of the Union, but what made the two different from one another?

Both were chambers of the Supreme Soviet, the top legislative body of the USSR from 1938 to 1991. Simply put, the SoN was elected on the basis of equal representation from each republic and other subdivisions. Each subdivision was afforded the same number of delegates as the next of its kind. It was devoted to the national question. The SoU was elected on the basic of proportional representation.


When the Supreme Soviet formed the Presidium, how accountable was it? How much power did it actually have, in comparison to the Presidium?

The presidium had less power as a whole than its supervision body. It was smaller and only had authority when the Supreme Soviet was not in session. By the end of the USSR, neither body held much power independent of the party, which some will say was for better and others for worse.


What relation did the Supreme Soviet / Presidium have with the Politburo?

The Supreme Soviet and its presidium were state organs while the politburo was a party organ. The role of the Supreme Soviet in the state was similar to that of the central committee in the party and the presidium similar to the politburo.

[JPSartre12]

The presidium had less power as a whole than its supervision body. It was smaller and only had authority when the Supreme Soviet was not in session. By the end of the USSR, neither body held much power independent of the party, which some will say was for better and others for worse.

So, do I have it right when if I mentally relate the Supreme Soviet and the Presidium to a bourgeois parliament, in that the Supreme Soviet would be the legislature itself and the Presidium would be the PM/Cabinet/Government that is formed from it?


The Supreme Soviet and its presidium were state organs while the politburo was a party organ. The role of the Supreme Soviet in the state was similar to that of the central committee in the party and the presidium similar to the politburo.

Although, I'm assuming that a great deal of politics was played, and party leaders (Politburo) were also often state leaders (Presidium)? How much power did the party leaders have in the day-to-day affairs of government?

[Ilyich]

So, do I have it right when if I mentally relate the Supreme Soviet and the Presidium to a bourgeois parliament, in that the Supreme Soviet would be the legislature itself and the Presidium would be the PM/Cabinet/Government that is formed from it?

Not quite, I don't think a lot of bourgeois parliaments have equivalents to the presidium but the Supreme Soviet did elect a government, an administrative arm called the Cabinet of Ministers.

I don't really know the answer to your next question.

Everyone else reading this, how am I doing? I don't want to be misleading. If I'm wrong, correct me.