Constituent Assembly of Georgia
Encyclopedia
The Constituent Assembly of Georgia was a national legislature of the Democratic Republic of Georgia
which was elected in February 1919 to ratify the Act of Independence of Georgia and enact the Constitution
of 1921. The assembly remained active until the Soviet Russian military intervention
brought Georgia’s three-year independence to an end in March 1921.
, Georgia seceded from Russia
first as a part of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
on April 9, 1918, and then as its own sovereign republic
on May 26, 1918, the day when the Georgian National Council anonymously adopted the Act of Independence of Georgia. The Council declared itself provisional Parliament in October 1918 and began preparations for a nationwide legislative elections - the only general elections in pre-Soviet Georgia.
The Constituent Assembly was elected in the free and direct elections held from February 14 to 17 1919, to ratify the Act of Independence and adopt the republic’s constitution. The elections were contested by 15 political parties and the results were a triumph for the Social-Democratic Party
(Mensheviks) and its leader, Noe Zhordania
. Of the 130 seats in the Assembly, they obtained 109; the National Democratic Party of Georgia (NDP) took 8 seats, the Social-Federalists (SFs) – 8 and the Socialist-Revolutionary Party (SRs) – 5, forming the corresponding four factions and the two additional factions, those of the National Party and of the Dashnaktsutiun. On March 21, 1919, the Assembly elected Noe Zhordania head of government, and he formed a new cabinet.
whose members were to be elected by the nation’s legislative body to "supervise the observance and defense of laws and to ensure strict adherence to them by all organizations, persons, and local government organs." The Senate was essentially an appellate court but also had the power to revoke any government decision contrary to law and to deal with complaints against courts.
Preoccupied with uneasy foreign relations and domestic problems in the years of the Russian Civil War
, the Georgian government was not able to fully implement in practice the progressive program laid out in the legislation. By early 1921, the Constituent Assembly had drafted Georgia’s first constitution
, which was adopted already in the wake of the invasion by Soviet troops
on February 21, 1921, when the battle was raging at the outskirts of Tbilisi
, capital of Georgia. On February 25, the Constituent Assembly evacuated Tbilisi first for Kutaisi
, and finally for Batumi
where it held its last meeting on March 21, 1921, ordering the government of the republic to leave the country. On March 24, 1921, the Revolutionary committee
of Georgia – a provisional administration set up by the victorious Bolsheviks – declared the Assembly dissolved.
Democratic Republic of Georgia
The Democratic Republic of Georgia , 1918–1921, was the first modern establishment of a Republic of Georgia.The DRG was created after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917...
which was elected in February 1919 to ratify the Act of Independence of Georgia and enact the Constitution
Constitution of Georgia (country)
The Constitution of Georgia is the supreme law of Georgia. It was approved by the Parliament of Georgia on August 24 1995. It entered into force on October 17...
of 1921. The assembly remained active until the Soviet Russian military intervention
Red Army invasion of Georgia
The Red Army invasion of Georgia also known as the Soviet–Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia was a military campaign by the Soviet Russian Red Army against the Democratic Republic of Georgia aimed at overthrowing the Social-Democratic government and installing the Bolshevik regime...
brought Georgia’s three-year independence to an end in March 1921.
Election
After the Russian Revolution of 1917Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
, Georgia seceded from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
first as a part of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic , was a short-lived state composed of the modern-day countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in the South Caucasus.-...
on April 9, 1918, and then as its own sovereign republic
Democratic Republic of Georgia
The Democratic Republic of Georgia , 1918–1921, was the first modern establishment of a Republic of Georgia.The DRG was created after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917...
on May 26, 1918, the day when the Georgian National Council anonymously adopted the Act of Independence of Georgia. The Council declared itself provisional Parliament in October 1918 and began preparations for a nationwide legislative elections - the only general elections in pre-Soviet Georgia.
The Constituent Assembly was elected in the free and direct elections held from February 14 to 17 1919, to ratify the Act of Independence and adopt the republic’s constitution. The elections were contested by 15 political parties and the results were a triumph for the Social-Democratic Party
Georgian Social Democratic (Menshevik) Party
200px|thumb|Menshevik Flag of Georgia, created by Iakob NikoladzeThe Social Democratic Labour Party of Georgia was a political party in Georgia. It was founded as the Georgian branch of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party separated itself from the Russian mother-party.The party dominated...
(Mensheviks) and its leader, Noe Zhordania
Noe Zhordania
Noe Zhordania was a Georgian journalist and Menshevik politician. He played an eminent role in the Social Democratic revolutionary movement in Imperial Russia, and later chaired the government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia from July 24, 1918 until March 18, 1921, when the Bolshevik Soviet...
. Of the 130 seats in the Assembly, they obtained 109; the National Democratic Party of Georgia (NDP) took 8 seats, the Social-Federalists (SFs) – 8 and the Socialist-Revolutionary Party (SRs) – 5, forming the corresponding four factions and the two additional factions, those of the National Party and of the Dashnaktsutiun. On March 21, 1919, the Assembly elected Noe Zhordania head of government, and he formed a new cabinet.
Legislation
During its two-year history, the Assembly adopted 126 laws, notably on citizenship, local elections, the country's defense, agriculture, legal system, political and administrative arrangements for ethnic minorities, a national system of public education, and some other laws and regulations on fiscal/monetary policy, the Georgian railways, trade and domestic production, etc. In July 1919, the Assembly set up a SenateSenate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
whose members were to be elected by the nation’s legislative body to "supervise the observance and defense of laws and to ensure strict adherence to them by all organizations, persons, and local government organs." The Senate was essentially an appellate court but also had the power to revoke any government decision contrary to law and to deal with complaints against courts.
Preoccupied with uneasy foreign relations and domestic problems in the years of the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, the Georgian government was not able to fully implement in practice the progressive program laid out in the legislation. By early 1921, the Constituent Assembly had drafted Georgia’s first constitution
Constitution of Georgia (country)
The Constitution of Georgia is the supreme law of Georgia. It was approved by the Parliament of Georgia on August 24 1995. It entered into force on October 17...
, which was adopted already in the wake of the invasion by Soviet troops
Red Army invasion of Georgia
The Red Army invasion of Georgia also known as the Soviet–Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia was a military campaign by the Soviet Russian Red Army against the Democratic Republic of Georgia aimed at overthrowing the Social-Democratic government and installing the Bolshevik regime...
on February 21, 1921, when the battle was raging at the outskirts of Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, capital of Georgia. On February 25, the Constituent Assembly evacuated Tbilisi first for Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
, and finally for Batumi
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
where it held its last meeting on March 21, 1921, ordering the government of the republic to leave the country. On March 24, 1921, the Revolutionary committee
Revolutionary committee
Revolutionary committees or revkoms were Bolshevik-led organizations in Soviet Russia and in areas of its activities established to serve as provisional governments and temporary Soviet administrations in territories under the control of the Red Army in 1918-1920, during the Russian Civil War and...
of Georgia – a provisional administration set up by the victorious Bolsheviks – declared the Assembly dissolved.