District Soviets

Categories / City Administration/Government Bodies
DISTRICT SOVIETS, organs of state power on the territory of city districts in 1917-93. They appeared in the course of February revolution of 1917 as elected political organizations of workers and soldiers' deputies (17 District Soviets were formed in one year), and proclaimed to be organs of power by order of the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets [October, 25-26 (old style: November, 7-8) 1917]. In 1918, after the dissolution of district Dumas, they became organs of local self-government. From January 1918, they were called Soviets of Workers, Soldiers and Peasants' Deputies, from July 1918 - Soviets of Workers, Red Military and Peasants' Deputies, from January 1940 - Soviets of Working People’s Deputies, and from 1977 - Soviets of People's Deputies. The number of District Soviets changed: in 1919-22 there were 10 such Soviets, in 1922-36 - 6-9, from 1936 -18 (15 in city districts and 3 in suburbs), and from 1973 – 21 Soviets. District Soviets approved plans of social and economic development of the district, budgets and reports of District Executive Committees and adopted decisions on urban planning, development of health care, education, communal issues, utilities and services, and cultural education of the population. The Soviets led a fight against crime, elected District Executive Committees and Standing Commissions. In January 1992 District Soviets set up the so-called Smaller Soviets to deal with everyday issues. They were liquidated by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on October 9, 1993. Documents of the District Soviets over the period from 1917 through 1993 are kept in the Central State Archive of St. Petersburg. N. Y.Cherepenina. February Revolution of 1917