was the Soviet Union governed constitutionally? why or why not?
344164
Yes, they have a constitution, however I do not believe it is like ours.
176814
If you believe that "communism is as communism does," and you use those shoddy tyrannies as the only possible socialist models, than the answer is no. On the other hand, if you consider the basic proposals of communism (actually socialism), then it gets more interesting. \n\nFirst let's get rid of the sillyness that equates socialism with tyranny. That's a little like saying that because Pinochet was dictatorial and pro-capitalist, then capitalism is dictatorial. And even though it's true that the democratic socialist movements were invariably short-lived, it's also true that their lives were most often cut short by their opponents - e.g., from Allende to Pinochet,  from Arbenz to a succesion of military dictators, etc. In short, there is nothing in socialist theory that prohibits democracy - in fact, many of its proponents have made the case that democracy is necessary in order to have the deliberation necessary to create a productive society. And capitalism, the real opposition to socialism, has done very well under a plethora of dictatorial forms, thank you very much.  \n\nThat being said, I do agree with the writer who implies that perhaps our species is not ready to deliberate on its own economic future. As a whole, we may not be intellectually or ethically equipped to get much past our present dismal state of quasi-anarchy. There's the "rub." Just as the population of the Soviet Union was told, "don't worry about the economy ... the party will look after it," capitalist regimes say, "don't worry about the economy, the 'invisible hand' and the captains of industry will look after it."
1081972
Boris Yeltsin was a good transition.  He was someone that the communists didn't hate, and yet he was not a communist, and forged the way for Russia to survive after the fall of the Soviet Union.  So, he was somewhat of a revolutionist.  However, once he was in power, he was not a very good leader.  It took everyone some time to see that he was not the best man for the job, because of the great changes that were taking place as a result of capitolism.  He had a bad drinking problem, which led to his general dislike, distrust, and inability to lead.
286121
The Russian state was destabilised by World War 1 and the Tsar was overthrown by a popular revolution in spring 1917. There was a brief attempt at a provisional government led by liberals, but during 1917 Lenin was smuggled back into Russia from exile in Europe and his Bolshevik party eventually headed the October revolution and established the Soviet Union in the civil war of 1917-1922, eliminating the "Whites" (the old aristocratic government), the anarchists and the rival socialists.
748114
yes as long as it is a good constitution that involves giving home rule to all states in the union including the suppressed states eg Catalonia and also including all of the former soviet union.\nit will require a dictatorial government in the Early years to hold the country together
200379
Ok, if you really want to know the history of the Soviet Union, there are a lot of websites out there that can help you out.  \n\nResearch it and let us know what you found out.
610039
Look at George Keennan article on the soviet union, \n\nBasicly \n\nthought communism was in the long run gonna die, \n\nDidn't want to start a world war, as communism thought would go carzy if near death\n\nTHought in long run us, stronger than soviets,
422327
There are lots of reasons.  The infrastructure of the USSR was falling apart.  The cold war ate up all their resources.  They also had to implement some capitalistism in their economy so it wouldn't totally collapse, therefore not totally socialist.  The people were also terrified and pissed about being sent to Gulag.  Consult a history book for more.
343885
Hahaha! I like the spirit but perhaps this should be answered by someone unbiased and neutral.. that's me!\n\nWhile the USSR was truly mighty once upon a time, currently the strongest military force on the planet is the USA, whether you like it or not. Russia still has a formidable arsenal but they are certainly not as powerful as the US of A. Also, their economy will not be able to bear the strain of a full fledged modern conflict and so the USA it is again.
920020
First of all, the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia are not the same thing - the former was only part of the latter; the two parts broke into separate countries in the early 1990s (I forget the exact year)\n\nAlso, the Soviet Union never "owned" Czechoslovakia, which remained a separate republic and government.  It did politically control it as a puppet state, however, from 1947 until 1988.  Before then in was independent for a couple of years after being occupied by the Nazis from 1938.
647225
As far as I know we had no special police, unlike in Germany. Until 1944 everything was ’relatively’ normal, but when the Soviet army approached the country, the Hungarian fascists (they called themselves ’bowmen’) took over the power with German support and introduced military governing. It was only the communist party that created a special force called ÁVH (State Security Office) after the war.
947198
As long as the country remains free and subject to the rule of law, it is still a democracy even if a Communist Party is in power. That is only the governing party, who are still subject to the (usually constituionally-based) system of governance in place unless there is constitutional change or some sort of revolution.\n\nThe United States, for instance, doesn't actually shift between being a Republic and a Democracy depending on the name of the party in power. It has been both since 1776. Likewise, France or Italy don't cease to be democracies when their Communist Parties win votes.
365020
a utopia of the liberal mind = the Soviet Union
360265
There really has never been a real communist state in the world. Only totalitarian governments that called themselves communist. I don't think it works.\n\nOn the other hand. A government made up of several types of ideals I beleive is the way. Like the US or Canada. A democracy with a capitalistic base, seasoned with socialism works very well. As long as it doesn't get too one way or the other, business booms, and the poor get help.
54794
It was more a political move than anything else.  It was equipped with radio transmitters to show the world that the USSR did it first.
501778
nothing was wrong. technically it was the best government. ON PAPER.  the thing is, is that people love power so it turned into a dictatorship for russia.
469661
Josef Stalin.... who was the leader of the Soviet Union from mid-1920s to his death in 1953 and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922-1953), a position which had later become that of party leader.\n\nA hard-won victory in World War II (the Great Patriotic War, 1941–45), for which the Soviet Union was arguably unprepared, was made possible in part through the capacity for production that was the outcome of industrialization, as well as significant Lend-Lease gifts, primarily by the United States. In the postwar years, Stalin laid the groundwork for the formation of the Warsaw Pact and established the USSR as one of the two major world powers, a position it maintained for nearly four decades following his death in 1953.