Russian Democratic Federative Republic
Encyclopedia
Russian Democratic Federative Republic ' onMouseout='HidePop("81744")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Russian">Translit
: Rossiyskaya Demokraticheskaya Federativnaya Respublika), was a proposed federal
form of government of Russia
during the Russian Revolution of 1917
. It was formally declared on January 19, when the democratically elected
Russian Constituent Assembly
drafted and adopted the Resolution on the form of government of Russia, declaring Russia to be a federal democratic republic. However, the Assembly was dissolved on the same day by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
, and thus, it was the shortest lived state in history, nominally existing for less than one day.
. The fundamental basis of the state was representative democracy
and federation
of both national and territorial autonomous oblast
s. This was in contrast to the Decembrist constitution project, which proposed a federal constitutional monarchy
on an economic basis. For the first time the unitary structure
of Russia was officially abolished and the country was declared a federation, marking the start of the federalist
period in Russian history.
for all citizens of Republic, who are 20 years or older. This was five years lower than in the late Russian Empire
.
Most civil duties (such as conscription and taxes) was inherited from the legislation of the Russian Empire.
The President was responsible for his work before the parliament. A similar concept (enhanced) of presidential powers was later used in the German constitution of 1919
.
Due to Russian Constituent Assembly's cancellation of the constitution, no person was ever elected into this office.
The constituent powers
(ability to create a new constitution and change the government type) were allocated to the Russian Constituent Assembly
.
- self-proclaimed autonomy on December 1917, declared independence a year later (on December 13, 1918); Autonomous Governorate of Estonia
- already established as autonomy. Declared itself independent on 23 February 1918; Transcaucasia
- autonomy was recognised by the Russian Provisional Government
(as OZAKOM) in 1917. Declared independence as the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
on 24 February 1918. Later split into the following states:
} Democratic Republic of Georgia
(from May 26)
} Democratic Republic of Armenia
(from May 28)
} Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
(from May 28) Ukrainian People's Republic
- autonomy recognised on June 26, 1917. Became an autonomous republic
on 20 November 1917, and declared itself independent from Russia on 25 January 1918.
Romanization of Russian
Romanization of the Russian alphabet is the process of transliterating the Russian language from the Cyrillic alphabet into the Latin alphabet...
: Rossiyskaya Demokraticheskaya Federativnaya Respublika), was a proposed federal
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
form of government of 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...
during the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian 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...
. It was formally declared on January 19, when the democratically elected
Russian Constituent Assembly election, 1917
The elections to the Russian Constituent Assembly that were organised as a result of events in the Russian Revolution of 1917 were held on November 25, 1917 , around 2 months after they were originally meant to occur...
Russian Constituent Assembly
Russian Constituent Assembly
The All Russian Constituent Assembly was a constitutional body convened in Russia after the October Revolution of 1917. It is generally reckoned as the first democratically elected legislative body of any kind in Russian history. It met for 13 hours, from 4 p.m...
drafted and adopted the Resolution on the form of government of Russia, declaring Russia to be a federal democratic republic. However, the Assembly was dissolved on the same day by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
All-Russian Central Executive Committee
All-Russian Central Executive Committee , was the highest legislative, administrative, and revising body of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Although the All-Russian Congress of Soviets had supreme authority, in periods between its sessions its powers were passed to VTsIK...
, and thus, it was the shortest lived state in history, nominally existing for less than one day.
Governmental structure
According to the intended constitution, Russia was declared a democratic federal republicFederal republic
A federal republic is a federation of states with a republican form of government. A federation is the central government. The states in a federation also maintain the federation...
. The fundamental basis of the state was representative democracy
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
and federation
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
of both national and territorial autonomous oblast
Autonomous oblast
An autonomous oblast is an autonomous entity within the state which is on the oblast level of the overall administrative subdivision. It may refer to:*Autonomous oblasts of the Soviet Union*Autonomous oblasts of Russia...
s. This was in contrast to the Decembrist constitution project, which proposed a federal constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
on an economic basis. For the first time the unitary structure
Unitary state
A unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
of Russia was officially abolished and the country was declared a federation, marking the start of the federalist
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
period in Russian history.
Civil rights and duties
The Constitution granted universal suffrageUniversal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
for all citizens of Republic, who are 20 years or older. This was five years lower than in the late Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
.
Most civil duties (such as conscription and taxes) was inherited from the legislation of the Russian Empire.
Head of state
The head of state was the President of the Russian Democratic Federative Republic. He was elected by parliament for a one-year term in a majority vote by deputies of both chambers. Presidential powers were nearly identical to that of the Emperor. These powers were:- Appointment of several government officials and their removal of office;
- Commander-in-chiefCommander-in-ChiefA commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Russian Army; - Decisions on the foreign policy of Russia;
- Right to propose laws;
- Control over governmental structures member and functioning;
- Control over law enforcementExecutive PowerExecutive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
; - Exercising and overseeing management in Russia.
The President was responsible for his work before the parliament. A similar concept (enhanced) of presidential powers was later used in the German constitution of 1919
Weimar constitution
The Constitution of the German Reich , usually known as the Weimar Constitution was the constitution that governed Germany during the Weimar Republic...
.
Due to Russian Constituent Assembly's cancellation of the constitution, no person was ever elected into this office.
Legislation
According to the final project of the Constitution adopted on January 20, 1920 in Paris, legislative power was to be held by a bicameral parliament.- The State Council of the Russian Democratic Federative Republic was the upper houseUpper houseAn upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
, elected by regional legislatures (sejmsDiet (assembly)In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
). - The State Duma of the Russian Democratic Federative Republic was the lower houseLower houseA lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
, directly elected by citizens of the Republic.
The constituent powers
Constituent assembly
A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution...
(ability to create a new constitution and change the government type) were allocated to the Russian Constituent Assembly
Russian Constituent Assembly
The All Russian Constituent Assembly was a constitutional body convened in Russia after the October Revolution of 1917. It is generally reckoned as the first democratically elected legislative body of any kind in Russian history. It met for 13 hours, from 4 p.m...
.
Intended autonomies within federation
Alash AutonomyAlash Autonomy
Alash Autonomy was a state that existed between December 13, 1917 and August 26, 1920, located roughly on the territory of present day Republic of Kazakhstan. The capital city was Semey ....
- self-proclaimed autonomy on December 1917, declared independence a year later (on December 13, 1918); Autonomous Governorate of Estonia
Autonomous Governorate of Estonia
The local autonomy in Estonia was established as a result of the Russian Revolution of 1917. For the duration of control by Imperial Russia, Estonia was divided between two governorates . The Governorate of Estonia in the north corresponded roughly to the area of Danish Estonia and the northern...
- already established as autonomy. Declared itself independent on 23 February 1918; Transcaucasia
Transcaucasian Commissariat
The Transcaucasian Commissariat was established at Tbilisi on November 11, 1917, as the first government of the independent Transcaucasia and following the Bolshevik seizure of power in St...
- autonomy was recognised by the Russian Provisional Government
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
(as OZAKOM) in 1917. Declared independence as 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 24 February 1918. Later split into the following states:
} Democratic Republic of Georgia
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...
(from May 26)
} Democratic Republic of Armenia
Democratic Republic of Armenia
The Democratic Republic of Armenia was the first modern establishment of an Armenian state...
(from May 28)
} Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
(from May 28) Ukrainian People's Republic
Ukrainian People's Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic or Ukrainian National Republic was a republic that was declared in part of the territory of modern Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, eventually headed by Symon Petliura.-Revolutionary Wave:...
- autonomy recognised on June 26, 1917. Became an autonomous republic
Autonomous republic
An autonomous republic is a type of administrative division similar to a province. A significant number of autonomous republics can be found within the successor states of the Soviet Union, but the majority are located within Russia. Many of these republics were established during the Soviet...
on 20 November 1917, and declared itself independent from Russia on 25 January 1918.