1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union
| 1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union | |
|---|---|
| Congress of Soviets of the Soviet Union | |
| |
| Territorial extent | Soviet Union |
| Enacted by | Congress of Soviets of the Soviet Union |
| Signed by | Joseph Stalin |
| Effective | 5 December 1936 |
| Repealed | 7 October 1977 |
| Repeals | |
| 1924 Constitution of the Soviet Union | |
| Repealed by | |
| 1977 Constitution of the Soviet Union | |
| Status: Repealed | |
The 1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union, also known as the Stalin Constitution, was the communist state constitution of the USSR adopted on 5 December 1936.
The 1936 Constitution was the second constitution of the Soviet Union and replaced the 1924 Constitution, with 5 December being celebrated annually as Soviet Constitution Day from its adoption by the Congress of Soviets. This date was considered the "second foundational moment" of the USSR, after the October Revolution in 1917. The 1936 Constitution redesigned the government of the Soviet Union, expanded all manner of rights and freedoms, and spelled out a number of democratic procedures. The Congress of Soviets replaced itself with the Supreme Soviet, which amended the 1936 Constitution in 1944.
The 1936 Constitution was the longest surviving constitution of the Soviet Union, and many Eastern Bloc countries later adopted constitutions that were closely modeled on it. It was replaced by the 1977 Constitution of the Soviet Union ("Brezhnev Constitution") on 7 October 1977.