Soviet democracy

A political system organized around elected councils of workers, soldiers, and peasants called soviets. In theory, these councils exercised popular power through delegates subject to recall.

Soviet (council): An elected council representing workers, soldiers, or peasants in revolutionary Russia and the Soviet Union. These councils were the system’s basic institutions and gave it its name.
Russian Revolution of 1905: A wave of strikes, uprisings, and political reforms that challenged the Russian Empire in 1905. Workers’ councils first appeared prominently during this revolution.
Parliamentary democracy: A political system in which voters elect representatives to a legislature that makes laws and oversees government. Soviet democracy claimed to replace parliamentary representation with council-based delegation.
Russian Civil War: The armed conflict fought in the former Russian Empire from 1917 to 1922 among rival political forces. Wartime pressures accelerated centralization and reduced the councils’ independent role.
Congress of Soviets: A representative assembly formed from delegates sent by soviets at lower levels. Congresses were intended to coordinate councils and exercise authority at broader levels.
Saint Petersburg Soviet: A workers’ council formed in Saint Petersburg during the Russian Revolution of 1905. It became an influential early model for council organization and representation.
Liberal democracy: A political system combining competitive elections with civil liberties, legal limits, and pluralist institutions. Its protections and party competition differed from the one-party Soviet model.
Kronstadt rebellion: A 1921 uprising by sailors and workers against Bolshevik rule at the Kronstadt naval base. Its demands for renewed soviet elections challenged the ruling party’s claim to represent the councils.
Delegate recall: A procedure allowing constituents to remove an elected representative before the end of a term. Recall was presented as a way to keep soviet delegates answerable to their constituencies.
February Revolution: The 1917 uprising that overthrew the Russian monarchy and established a provisional government. After the monarchy fell, soviets reappeared alongside the provisional government.

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