Soviet society and law : the history of the legal campaign to enforce the constitutional duty to work
In both the 1936 and 1977 USSR Constitutions conscientious labour in socially useful activity was decreed to be a ~duty and matter of honour~ for every Soviet citizen. This study examines the various approaches adopted by successive Soviet leaderships in their determined efforts to reinforce that ethos. It focuses, in particular, on the so-called ~anti-parasite~ laws dating back to 1957, when as a part of Khrushchev's attempt to revive popular justice, several smaller republics experimented with enactments that permitted peer justice institutions in the form of amorphous social assemblies to exile ~parasites~ via a procedure which bypassed the existing court system. Special attention is devoted to the criticism lodged against the laws (during their adoption and spread to the other union republics in 1961) by members of the legal profession, who complained that the wide punitive given to the extra-judicial bodies and the attitudes and behaviour encouraged in them would erode the respect for ~socialist legality~ which they had been charged with enhancing in the minds of the mass public. Although as a result of such criticism, the Khrushchev regime modified the peer justice institutions in the early 1960's, and
Callum, Douglas R.
DK Russia. Soviet Union. Former Soviet Republics ; K Law (General)
Soviet society and law : the history of the legal campaign to enforce the constitutional duty to work. In both the 1936 and 1977 USSR Constitutions conscientious labour in socially useful activity was decreed to be a ~duty and matter of honour~ for every Soviet citizen. This study examines the various approaches adopted by successive Soviet leaderships in their determined efforts to reinforce that ethos. It focuses, in particular, on the so-called ~anti-parasite~ laws dating back to 1957, when as a part of Khrushchev's attempt to revive popular justice, several smaller republics experimented with enactments that permitted peer justice institutions in the form of amorphous social assemblies to exile ~parasites~ via a procedure which bypassed the existing court system. Special attention is devoted to the criticism lodged against the laws (during their adoption and spread to the other union republics in 1961) by members of the legal profession, who complained that the wide punitive given to the extra-judicial bodies and the attitudes and behaviour encouraged in them would erode the respect for ~socialist legality~ which they had been charged with enhancing in the minds of the mass public. Although as a result of such criticism, the Khrushchev regime modified the peer justice institutions in the early 1960's, and
soviet society law history legal campaign enforce constitutional duty work ussr conscientious labour socially useful activity decree duty matter honour every soviet citizen study examine_various approach_adopt successive soviet leadership determine effort reinforce ethos focus_particular so_called anti law date_back part khrushchev attempt revive popular justice several_small republic experiment enactment permit peer justice institution form amorphous social assembly exile via procedure exist court system special_attention devote criticism law adoption spread union member legal profession complain wide punitive give extra judicial body attitudes behaviour encourage would erode respect socialist legality charge enhance mind mass public although criticism khrushchev regime modify peer justice institution