ESTABLISHMENT OF THE USSR

In Moscow on 23-27 December 1922, the Tenth All-Russian Congress of Soviets took place.

AT THE CONGRESS, STALIN ANNOUNCED THE UNION WITH

• the Russia Soviet Federated Socialist Republic with
• The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
• The Belorussian Soviet Socialist republic
• The Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist republic
• Together they formed the Union of Socialist Soviet Republic

Lenin was not present at the Congress but published a letter called "The Question of Nationalities" which addressed his beliefs about the new union

GOVERNMENT

• The soviet government was elected by the Congress of Soviets
• The Congress of Soviets was elected by local Soviets
• It had two parts, the Central Executive Committee (admin)
• and the Council of People's Commissars (laws)

Each republic had its own government as part of the Federal System. Each republic sent representatives to the Congress this formed the national parliament of the USSR. Power was retained by the politburo, headed by Lenin

Although it looked like there were features of democracy, Lenin remained at the heart of government and he had sole power. The Committee merely rubber stamped decisions made by Lenin

In the decades after it was established, the Soviet Union grew into one of the world's most powerful and influential states and eventually encompassed 15 republics-Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Belorussia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. In 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved following the collapse of its communist government.

Though Russia’s later actions would indicate otherwise, the Communist Party wanted the various nations that made up the USSR to join or secede willingly. “We want a voluntary union of nations" - Lenin