Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1276

 1224 Russia

13. Labour. — M. Schmidt

14. Education. — M. Lunacharsky.

15. Nationalities.— M. Stalin.

16. Workers'' and Peasants Inspection. — M. Stalin.

17. Home Affairs ), r „ , . ,

•" M Dzerzhinsky.

18. Extraordinary C'ommissio7i V

19. Foreign Trade. — M. Krassin.

On January 31, 1918, a decree was issued establishing the permanent character of the Workmen's and Peasants' (Soviet) Government. This government has not been recognised by the British Government.

On December 10, 1917, the Soviet Government abolished private ownership ot land, declaring all real estate, the property of the state, and on February 10, 1918, they issued a decree declaring all state loans, internal and foreign, contracted by previous governments to be null and void as from December 1, 1917 ; confiscating all maritime enterprises and all private banks to the state, and nationalising foreign trade (Apiil 23, 1918).

On March 14, 1918, the People's Commissaries left Petrograd for Moscow, which thus became the centre of Government.

For the late Imperial Family and list of Tsars, see Statesman's Year- book for 1917, p. 1227.

The flag of the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic is a red flag with the legend "R.S.F.S.R." in gold letters.

Constitution and Government.

It is claimed by the Soviet authorities that the greater part of the former Russian Empire (including Siberia up to Lake Baikal) is under the rule of the Soviet Government. But a number of States have gradually evolved and are maintaining themselves on the borders of the old Empire. Five have received formal recognition and are properly established, viz., P'inland, Poland, Esthonia, Latvia, and Georgia. Three others have received some measure of recognition, by the Allies, viz., Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Lithuania. The first two as well as Georgia have recently adopted the Soviet form of Government, and have entered into federal relations with Great Russia, as has also the Ukraine, definitely consolidated as a Soviet Republic in 1920 after the defeat of General Denikin. The territory from Lake Baikal to Vladivostok has been constituted as the Far Eastern Demo- cratic Republic, governed by a Cabinet of Ministers (Premier, M. Krasnoschekov), with its seat at Chita. The Republic has concluded a treaty of amity with the Soviet Government.

So far as the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic is concerned, a Constitution was adopted by the fifth All-Russian Soviet Congress, the text of which was published on July 19, 1918, and amended ami umplihed by the seventh and eighth Soviet Congresses in December, 1919, and December, 1920, According io the Constitution, which has been declared a 'funda- mental law' of the Republic, Russia is a Republic of Soviets of Workers', Soldiers', and Peasants' Delegates ; and all central and local authority is vested in these Soviets. Private property in land is abolished, all land being the common property of the people ; all forests, mines, waters having a national importance and all livestock and fixtures, model estates and agricultural concerns are all national property. The State owns all fac- tories, mines, railways, aud other means of production and transport.