Council of People’s Commissars, January 5, 1918.
The Provincial Soviet Organization
The scheme of the general statutes of Soviets of Workmen’s, Soldiers’, Peasant, and Cossack Deputies, as a representative organ, is no less necessary for the obscure places in our provinces than is the scheme of the departments and sub-departments of the Soviets.
The statutes of the Soviets may be divided into sections, as follows: (I) the purpose of the organization of Soviets; (2) the basis of representation; (3) sections of the Soviet; (4) elections of the presidium and executive committee of the Soviet; (5) the functions of the presidium; (6) the executive committee and its functions; (7) general sessions; (8) committees.
1. The purpose of the organization of the Soviet.
The -Soviet of Workmen’s, Soldiers’, Peasant, and Cossack Deputies is the sovereign state organ of revolutionary democracy, in addition to the organization of governmental authority in the provinces. The Soviet pursues the following objects:
(a) The organization of the large laboring masses of workmen, peasants, soldiers, and Cossacks;
(b) The struggle against counter-revolutionary currents and the strengthening of the Soviet Republic and all liberties gained by the October revolution.
2. The basis and order of representation in the Soviets.
(a) A Soviet of Workmen’s, Soldiers’, Peasant, and Cossack Deputies is constituted of one or two representatives each of all workmen’s, soldiers’, peasant, and Cossack organizations (parties’ trade unions, committees, etc.) in the cities, villages, and settlements.
(b) The peasants elect two representatives from each township to the district Soviet (a township Soviet has one or two representatives from each small town, village, or hamlet).
(c) The Cossacks elect two representatives (or three) from each village to the Regional Soviet of Workmen’s, Soldiers’, Peasant, and Cossack Deputies, and one representative each from a settlement, hamlet, or small town to the village Soviet. (In Cossack territories the peasant representation in the Regional Soviet is proportional, according to the villages).
(d) The workmen and all proletarian laboring masses in cities where the urban proletariat does not exceed 5,000 or 6,000 persons have representation on the following basis:
- (1) Every enterprise employing 100 persons sends one representative.
- (2) Enterprises employing from 100 to 200 persons send two representatives; from 200 to 300 persons, three representatives, etc.
- (3) Enterprises employing less than fifty persons, combine, if possible, with other small kindred enterprises and send a common representative to the Soviet. Those unable to combine may send their representative independently.
(e) The soldiers of a local garrison (Cossacks, sailors) send to the Soviet their representatives on the following principle: each company, squadron, command, etc., elects two representatives to the Soviet; clerks, hospital attendants, horse reserves, and other small units, send one representative each.
Addenda to paragraph 2. (1) Every member newly elected to the Soviet must present a certificate from his constituents, which is examined by the credentials committee; (2) if a member of the Soviet deviates from the instructions of his constituents then the constituents have the right to recall him and elect another in his place; (3) each section (the workmen’s, the soldiers’, etc.) of the Soviet has the right to include in its membership experienced and necessary workers by cooptation up to one-fifth of its entire membership. Those added by cooptation have the right of a consulting vote at general sessions of the Soviet in the committees and sections.
3. Sections of the Soviet
(a) a Soviet has four sections: peasant, workmen’s, soldiers’, and Cossack
(b) each section elects from its membership a presidium consisting of a chairman, two vice-chairmen, and two secretaries, which directs all the business of the section;
(c) the representation in the presidium is proportional to the membership of this or that party group.
4. Election of the Presidium and Executive Committee:
(a) The members of the Soviet, in each section, elect a presidium, which is chosen at a general meeting by a universal, direct, equal and secret vote, in the proportion and number indicated in paragraph 3 (Sections of the Soviet);
(b) the presidia of all sections of the Soviet constitute the general presidium of the Soviet, which elects from its membership a general chairman of all sections, two vice-chairmen, and two secretaries;
(c) besides the presidium, the general assembly of the Soviet elects from its membership an executive committee, proportionate to the membership of each party group (not section), so arranged that the membership of the executive committee shall not exceed one-fourth of the entire membership of the Soviet;
(d) the members of the presidium form a part of the membership of the Executive Committee on an equal basis with the other members.
5. The Functions of the Presidium:
(a) The presidium is the directing organ of the entire Soviet and decides independently all matters which cannot suffer delay;
(b) the presidium meets not less than four times a week;
(c) the presidium renders an account of its activity to the executive committee and to the entire Soviet, who have the right to recall them and to replace them at any time and period;
(d) the presidium must in its activity abide strictly by the instructions of the executive committee and the general assembly.
6. The Executive Committee and its Functions:
(a) The executive committee of the Soviet is an organ formed out of the membership of the Soviet (paragraph 4). The president, or one of the vice presidents of the Soviet is the chairman of the executive committee (paragraph 4);
(b) all current business of the Soviet is decided and carried on by the executive committee, and only matters of particular importance are submitted to the decision of the general assembly of the Soviet;
(c) questions considered by the executive committee are passed or rejected by a relative majority of votes. On questions of extraordinary importance a minority report is received, entered upon the records, and reported to the general assembly;
(d) questions are decided by an open vote, and only in matters of extraordinary importance, at the request of members of the executive committee, by a secret ballot;
(e) a session of the executive committee is considered legal when not less than one-half of its membership is present;
(f) members of the executive committee who for one reason or another cannot attend a session of the executive committee must notify the member of the executive committee on duty to that effect not later than half an hour before the opening of the session; (g) members of the executive committee who have been absent from three sessions without sufficient reason are deprived of the right to vote at two sessions, and the presidium notifies their constituents regarding the case; (h) the executive committee meets once a week (irrespective of special sessions); (i) special sessions, to consider questions of extraordinary importance, are called by the chairman or the vice-chairmen or by three members of the executive committee; (j) members of the executive committee must be notified of a special session by a summons not later than two hours before the opening of the session.; (k) a special session is legal with any number of members present; (1) the sessions of the executive committee may be open or executive; (m) members of the executive committee are on duty in the reception rooms of the Soviet, one from each section, by turns.
7. General Sessions:
(a) general sessions of the Soviets are called by the presidium whenever necessity arises, but not less than twice a month;
(b) general sessions may be regarded as legal when half of the entire membership of the Soviet is present; special sessions, when any number are present;
(c) all questions submitted for the consideration of the general assembly must first be passed upon either by the executive committee or by the presidium;
(d) a general session may be called also at the request of one-fifth of the membership of the Soviet;
(e) admission to the sessions of the Soviet is by ticket only;
(f) the sessions may be open or executive by decision of the presidium or of the assembly itself.
8. Committees:
(a) committees are elected in each case by the general assembly, by the executive committee, or by the presidium;
(b) the membership of a committee is determined by the assembly; (c) the chairman of each committee makes a report about the work of the committee to the general assembly of the Soviet, the executive committee, and the presidium;
(d) auditing committees, control committees, etc., for the examination of the Soviet affairs, are selected only by the general assembly of the Soviet;
(e) each committee has the right of independent cooptation of learned persons with the privilege of a consulting vote.
Vl. Ul’ianov (Lenin)
President of the Council of People’s Commissars
Source: International Conciliation (1919), pp. 17-21.