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On today's episode we explore the ins and outs of the 1936 Soviet Constitution - also known as the "Stalin Constitution" - how it was written, what it guaranteed, what led to its drafting, how it affected life in the USSR as well as the social, political and economic contexts surrounding its drafting. We pay particular attention to how the tensions between central authority in Moscow, regional actors and popular sovereignty created a unique context for the practice and development of Soviet democracy, federalism and constitutionalism, complicating black and white narratives of Soviet political centralization. Our guest is Samantha Lomb - author of Stalin's ConstitutionSoviet Participatory Politics and the Discussion of the 1936 Draft Constitution - here is a description of the book:"Upon its adoption in December 1936, Soviet leaders hailed the new so-called Stalin Constitution as the most democratic in the world. Scholars have long scoffed at this claim, noting that the mass repression of 1937–1938 that followed rendered it a hollow document. This study does not address these competing claims, but rather focuses on the six-month long popular discussion of the draft Constitution, which preceded its formal adoption in December 1936. Drawing on rich archival sources, this book uses the discussion of the draft 1936 Constitution to examine discourse between the central state leadership and citizens about the new Soviet social contract, which delineated the roles the state and citizens should play in developing socialism. For the central leadership, mobilizing its citizenry in a variety of state building campaigns was the main goal of the discussion of the draft Constitution. However, the goals of the central leadership at times stood in stark contrast with the people's expressed interpretation of that social contract. Citizens of the USSR focused on securing rights and privileges, often related to improving their daily lives, from the central government."Dr. Lomb works at Vyatka State University in Kirov, Russia. She received her PhD in history from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014. Her first book, Stalin's Constitution: Soviet Participatory Politics and the Discussion of the 1936 Draft Constitution, was published in 2017. Currently she is working on a book manuscript about collective farm life in the 1930s and a research project on repression. On the topic of collectivization, she has published an article "Moscow is Far Away: Peasant Communal Traditions in the Expulsion of Collective Farm Members in the Vyatka–Kirov Region 1932–1939" in Europe Asia Studies in 2022 and a book chapter called “Nashi/ne Nashi, Individual Smallholders, Social Control, and the State in Ziuzdinskii District, Kirov Region, 1932–9” in Social Control under Stalin and Khrushchev: The Phantom of a Well-Ordered State, edited by Immo Rebitschek and Aaron B. Retish (University of Toronto Press: August 2023). She was also the editor of Win or Else: Soviet Football in Moscow and Beyond, 1921–1985, written by Larry Holmes, published in 2024.
In July 1933, two mysterious men approached one of the most decorated soldiers in American history with what initially appeared to be a simple proposal. He didn't know it at the time, but Major General Smedley Butler, whose prominent career mirrored the rise of the American Empire, was being recruited into a sordid plan to overthrow President Franklin Roosevelt, and bring fascism to the United States. In this episode, take a deep look at the rise and expansion of Imperial America, and the time we came within a hair's breadth of losing democracy.Twitter: Link Patreon: LinkShirts and more: LinkSources and Further ReadingBooksThe Plot to Seize the White House, by Jules Archer: LinkGangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America's Empire, by Jonathan Katz: LinkMaverick Marine: General Smedley D. Butler and the Contradictions of American Military History: LinkWebsitesMcKinley and the Spanish-American War: LinkThe Signaling at Cuzco Well: LinkMarine Lieutenant Colonel Robert W. Huntington to Marine Colonel Charles Heywood, 6/17/1898: LinkBattle of Manila Bay, 1 May 1898: LinkTheodore Roosevelt, “The Strenuous Life” (10 April 1899): LinkTheodore Roosevelt: Confident Imperialist: LinkReview: Not so Benevolent Assimilation: The Philippine-American War: LinkMcKinley's Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation: LinkThe Insular Cases: A Comparative Historical Study of Puerto Rico, Hawai‘i, and the Philippines: LinkASKS GEN. BUTLER TO EXPLAIN SPEECH; Secretary Adams Calls for a Full Report on His References to Nicaraguan Policy. NAVY OFFICIALS SILENT Stimson Also Refuses Comment on the General's Reputed Remarks at Pittsburgh Dec. 5.: LinkMark Twain, To the Person Sitting in Darkness: LinkGunboat USS Petrel: LinkGunboat Callao: LinkThe Opium Wars in China: LinkYellow River Floods, Los Angeles Herald, Volume 26, Number 48, 17 November 1898: LinkGreat Flood of the Huang-Ho River: LinkWilhelm II: "Hun Speech" (1900): LinkMahan, a “Place in the Sun,” and Germany's Quest for Sea Power: LinkThe Liscum Bowl: LinkGeneral Jacob H. Smith & the Philippine War's Samar Campaign: LinkThe Water Cure: LinkThe Lobby- The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914: LinkHepburn Suspects a Plot to Delay Building Canal: LinkBunau-Varilla, Russia, and the Panama Canal: LinkThe Strange Affair of the Taking of the Panama Canal Zone: LinkUSS Nashville (PG 7) and the Building of the Panama Canal: LinkA Roundtable on John M. Thompson, Great Power Rising: Theodore Roosevelt and the Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy: LinkThe New Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation: LinkGentlemen's Agreement of 1907-1908: LinkHemispheric Orientalism and the 1907 Pacific Coast Race Riots: LinkMuseum of the City of San Francisco, Japanese and Korean Exclusion League- 1906: LinkMerchants, Mining, and Concessions on Nicaragua's Mosquito Coast: Reassessing the American Presence, 1893-1912: LinkAmerican Policy in Nicaragua- Dawson Agreements—Brown Brothers Loan: LinkA Note on the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty and German Interest in a Nicaraguan Canal, 1914: LinkRiot at Cocoa Grove, Panama City, July 4, 1912: LinkThe Wilson Administration and Panama, 1913-1921: LinkThe Minister of the Netherlands to the Secretary of State- Determining Indemnities Owed to the United States by Panama: LinkCANAL IS OPENED BY WILSON'S FINGER; Gamboa Dike Blown Away as President in Washington Presses Button.: LinkU.S. ambassador plots against Mexican president, Feb. 16, 1913: LinkHenry Lane Wilson and the Overthrow of Madero: LinkEl Porfiriato (1877-1911): LinkThe structural evolution of the Golden Lane, Tampico embayment, Mexico: LinkOil and Revolution in Mexico- Chapter 2: The Great Mexican Oil Boom: LinkMr. De In Mexico: LinkAddress to a Joint Session of Congress on the Tampico Incident: LinkApril 20, 1914: Message Regarding Tampico Incident: LinkTWE Remembers: The Tampico Incident: LinkThe Banana Wars: United States Intervention in the Caribbean, 1898–1934: Link'Take Veracruz at Once'- USNI: LinkThe Battle of Veracruz and the Medal of Honor: LinkHow the U.S. Came to Dominate Haiti: Seizing the Gold: LinkInvade Haiti, Wall Street Urged. The U.S. Obliged.: Link'The Greatest Heist In History': How Haiti Was Forced To Pay Reparations For Freedom: LinkHow the U.S. Came to Dominate Haiti: Military Occupation: LinkHAITI, SMEDLEY BUTLER, AND THE RISE OF AMERICAN EMPIRE: LinkFreedom and Sovereignty: Notes on 1826 Haitian Rural Code: LinkThe U.S. Occupation of Haiti, 1915-1934: LinkAmericans and Chinese Communists, 1927–1945: A Persuading Encounter: Link1927: 'China Marines' in Shanghai (photo): LinkSmedley D. Butler and Prohibition Enforcement in Philadelphia, 1924-1925: LinkThe Machine, the Mayor, and the Marine:The Battle over Prohibition in Philadelphia, 1924–1925: LinkGeneral Butler Cleans Up: LinkBUTLER NEAR BLOWS WITH A MAGISTRATE; Former Wants Philadelphia Ritz-Carlten Patrons to Tell About Liquor Seizure.: LinkAn Alternative to Kuomintang—Communist Collaboration: Sun Yat-sen and Hong Kong, January–June 1923: LinkThe Nationalist Party in Power: Unification of China Under Kuomintang Programs: LinkThe Birth of Communist Party and Soviet Constitution between China and Hungary: LinkSoviet Diplomacy and the First United Front in China: LinkBefore and After the May Fourth Movement: LinkPrinciples and Profits: Standard Oil Responds to Chinese Nationalism, 1925-1927: LinkSS PRESIDENT MCKINLEY Painting: LinkDecember 7, 1929, Buffalo Courier-Express, Author Asks for Senate Quiz of Butler's Speech; Sinclair Lewis says general confirmed charges against marines in Haiti, Nicaragua: LinkA Mussolini Alfa Romeo Mystery: LinkInterview with E.Z. Dimitman, June 23, 1982: LinkBonus Army- Oregon Encyclopedia: LinkWalter W. Waters, Commander of the Bonus Expeditionary Force: LinkFox Movietone News Collection- Butler addresses demonstration--outtakes: LinkSmedley Butler's fiery speech to World War I veterans is still relevant today: LinkBonus Expeditionary Forces March on Washington- National Park Service: LinkZangara's Attempted Assassination of Franklin D. Roosevelt: LinkRoosevelt's Gold Program: LinkWar Is A Racket (1935) Full Text: LinkThe American Legion 15th National Convention: official program, 1933: LinkHe Put the Funds in Our Foundation: How Robert Sterling Clark Got His Money: Link“Every Citizen a Sentinel! Every Home a Sentry Box!” The Sentinels of the Republic and the Gendered Origins of Free-Market Conservatism: LinkGerald L. K. Smith: Minister of Hate: LinkThe National Committee to Uphold Constitutional Government, 1937-1941: LinkThe Nye Revelations: LinkFDR and the Nye Committee: A Reassessment: LinkFrantz Fanon, Concerning Violence: Link
On Monday's Mark Levin Show, presidential polls this early in an election can be misleading just like Walter Mondale being ahead in June of 1983, however, these polls often go without any pushback. In 1983, 1991, 1995 and 2011 these polls were wrong. Some polls and the reporting on these polls can dispirit supporters from being aggressive political activists. However, we can't lose sight that Nancy Pelosi and Congress overall are viewed very poorly and President Trump hasn't even started campaigning yet. So many candidates have simply regurgitated the Soviet Constitution that virtually says the government will give you everything. Then, liberals continue to push the lie that Americans support impeachment. Also, freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on "ABC This Week" for a friendly interview where she wasn't questioned on anything substantive. Later, The New York Times reviews many books, yet they overlook their own #1 bestseller "Unfreedom OF The Press." Finally, Bernie Sanders tells Fox News that only a few wealthy people control all of the power in the country—a lie disproved by the election of Donald Trump when the three wealthiest families in the U.S supported Hillary Clinton and she still lost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On Monday's Mark Levin Show, presidential polls this early in an election can be misleading just like Walter Mondale being ahead in June of 1983, however, these polls often go without any pushback. In 1983, 1991, 1995 and 2011 these polls were wrong. Some polls and the reporting on these polls can dispirit supporters from being aggressive political activists. However, we can't lose sight that Nancy Pelosi and Congress overall are viewed very poorly and President Trump hasn't even started campaigning yet. So many candidates have simply regurgitated the Soviet Constitution that virtually says the government will give you everything. Then, liberals continue to push the lie that Americans support impeachment. Also, freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on "ABC This Week" for a friendly interview where she wasn't questioned on anything substantive. Later, The New York Times reviews many books, yet they overlook their own #1 bestseller "Unfreedom OF The Press." Finally, Bernie Sanders tells Fox News that only a few wealthy people control all of the power in the country—a lie disproved by the election of Donald Trump when the three wealthiest families in the U.S supported Hillary Clinton and she still lost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In her new book, Mass Political Culture Under Stalinism: Popular Discussion of the Soviet Constitution of 1936 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018), Olga Velikanova uses a variety of sources, from NKVD reports, reports sent to the Central Committee from various Soviet regions and even American intelligence reports to explore the rational behind the liberal... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In her new book, Mass Political Culture Under Stalinism: Popular Discussion of the Soviet Constitution of 1936 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018), Olga Velikanova uses a variety of sources, from NKVD reports, reports sent to the Central Committee from various Soviet regions and even American intelligence reports to explore the rational behind the liberal reforms enshrined in the 1936 constitution. She discovered that the Soviet leadership implemented these reforms because they believed the country had ascended into socialism and the divisions in society had largely been erased. But during the discussion of the draft constitution, popular suggestions revealed great divisions in soviet society. Velikanova focuses specifically on liberal rights such as free speech and assembly as well as judicial and voting reforms. She notes that Soviet citizens were in favor of more rights for themselves but many vociferously rejected the expanded franchise, which would give former class enemies voting rights. Additionally, because Stalin had called for limited popular democracy to be a weapon against incompetent and corrupt officials local and regional officials often delayed or even purposely sabotaged the discussion of the constitution. The rifts in society revealed in the popular suggestions and regional officials poor attitude towards the discussion contributed to the constitution being quickly castrated in 1937 as repression gripped the country and devoured both the party elite and average citizens. Velikanova’s book explores how this failure to keep constitutional promises led to citizens’ disillusionment with the government and a rising popular cynicism that eventually led to the collapse of the USSR. Samantha Lomb is an Assistant Professor at Vyatka State University in Kirov, Russia. Her research focuses on daily life, local politics and political participation in the Stalinist 1930s. Her book, Stalin’s Constitution: Soviet Participatory Politics and the Discussion of the Draft 1936 Constitution, is now available online. Her research can be viewed here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In her new book, Mass Political Culture Under Stalinism: Popular Discussion of the Soviet Constitution of 1936 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018), Olga Velikanova uses a variety of sources, from NKVD reports, reports sent to the Central Committee from various Soviet regions and even American intelligence reports to explore the rational behind the liberal reforms enshrined in the 1936 constitution. She discovered that the Soviet leadership implemented these reforms because they believed the country had ascended into socialism and the divisions in society had largely been erased. But during the discussion of the draft constitution, popular suggestions revealed great divisions in soviet society. Velikanova focuses specifically on liberal rights such as free speech and assembly as well as judicial and voting reforms. She notes that Soviet citizens were in favor of more rights for themselves but many vociferously rejected the expanded franchise, which would give former class enemies voting rights. Additionally, because Stalin had called for limited popular democracy to be a weapon against incompetent and corrupt officials local and regional officials often delayed or even purposely sabotaged the discussion of the constitution. The rifts in society revealed in the popular suggestions and regional officials poor attitude towards the discussion contributed to the constitution being quickly castrated in 1937 as repression gripped the country and devoured both the party elite and average citizens. Velikanova’s book explores how this failure to keep constitutional promises led to citizens’ disillusionment with the government and a rising popular cynicism that eventually led to the collapse of the USSR. Samantha Lomb is an Assistant Professor at Vyatka State University in Kirov, Russia. Her research focuses on daily life, local politics and political participation in the Stalinist 1930s. Her book, Stalin’s Constitution: Soviet Participatory Politics and the Discussion of the Draft 1936 Constitution, is now available online. Her research can be viewed here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Most people understand the word constitution. They also know that a country is governed by a constitution. But beyond this, they usually do not go. Most of us do not know why or how our constitution was made, because we think it is a difficult matter. Difficult to understand. Which it is not. In very simple terms, Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Now as any country is made of people, we can say the laws are primarily made for them. Constitution gives power. It confers and explains rights, functions, principles, restrictions and obligations on the part of individual, states and everybody who is a citizen of India. The purpose of the Constitution is to maintain harmonious relations between the individuals and the states on one hand and between the different organs of the government on the other. Almost all countries in the world are run based on some constitution. Lets say the constitution ensures that a country does not work according to whims and fancies of someone, but there is a legal framework given to run a society, and more importantly it provides stability. Rulers or governments can change but the laws generally do not change randomly. The Constitution of India was drawn up by a Constituent Assembly initially summoned on December 9, 1946, under the president-ship of Sachidananda Sinha. This obviously, was organized with an undivided India in mind. On August 14, 1947, the Constituent Assembly met as the Sovereign Constituent Assembly for the Dominion of India. After the demise of Sinha, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was entrusted with the job on August 29 1947. Constitutional provisions were adopted from the constitutions of various countries of the world such as Britain, United States, France, Germany, Japan, China, Canada, Australia, South Africa and the Soviet Constitution. Of course, it was not a case of mere copy and paste, as we say nowadays. All of these were debated, studied and adopted with keeping Indian society in mind. A draft constitution was published in February 1948 and public opinion was invited. This makes it clear that constitution is not something that is god-send, or something that is forced upon us. It is a public document, and it is considered as the voice of the people. As we discussed before, Indian leaders demanded complete independence and have been observing 26 January as a sort of ‘independence day’ since 1930, , it was decided to bring the Constitution in operation on 26th January 1950, recognizing the significance of that day. It is interesting to know that the Constitution of India is one of the lengthiest and the most detailed compared to any constitutions in the world. It contains 450 articles. And in these 67 years, it has by and large maintained ts sanctity and it is still in operation. The constitution begins as WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. Each word here is loaded with so many meanings and connotations and it a topic of lengthy discussions. But suffices to say, with adoption of this constitution, India became an official republic and therefore, we celebrate 26th January every year as the republic day.
www.blogtalkradio.com/thekingdomofgodornothing/2016/05/17/the-united-nations-on-zions-redemption-radio-05-16-2016 The United Nations Declaration and the Soviet Constitution are very similar–in some places being word for word. The basic concept embodied in both is that the government has full responsibility for the welfare of the people. The only stipulation is that the government must have total control over the people. But a government cannot guarantee everyone a loaf of bread unless everyone bakes a loaf of bread. The government cannot give anything except what it steals from the people. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An empty bag cannot stand upright.” The Constitution of both the United Nations and the Soviet Union are based on the rights given to the people by the government. The government would give them those rights only if it thinks it is proper. American government was designed to be the reverse: the government had only those rights granted to it by the people. The American Constitution and the Bill of Rights do not have any statement or inference that the federal government has any power to grant the people their rights, privileges, or benefits. The basis of these documents is a restriction of the federal government describing what it cannot do. It projects the idea that God, not the government, is the source of man's rights, and that “all men are . . . endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable [cannot be taken away] rights. . . .” The Constitution was ordained and established to secure liberties, not grant them. It is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. People control government, not the reverse. The Federal Government had no powers granted to it which were not given by the Constitution. Zions Redemption Radio airs Monday through Friday from 11pm to 1am www.TheKingdomofGodorNothing.com
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