Concept
The process begins when the workers of a city elect their local soviet. This body holds both legislative and executive power for that city. The idea is identical to the Paris Commune. The local soviets choose their delegates for their district soviet. These district soviets in turn elect their provincial soviet. Lastly, the provincial soviets then choose their delegates for the regional soviet. Each soviet has legislative-executive power over the territory it governs.
This elective process of a group of soviets electing the council above it continues until the national soviet, which is the supreme governing body of the nation. Until 1936 the national soviet (at that time - Congress of Soviets) was not elected by the regional soviets, but rather by the district soviets. Each district soviet will elect and send a number of delegates to the national soviet that is appropriate to accurately represent its population. But following passage of the 1936 Soviet Constitution the Supreme Soviets became directly-elective as well.
Each large soviet (including some larger locals) elects a small executive committee. This assembly deals with the day-to-day affairs of the territory that its soviet governs. The executive committee is subservient to its soviet, its actions must be in accordance with the soviet's legislation, and it only operates during times when the soviet is not in session. This method is likely borrowed from Athenian democracy.
Proponents argue that this form of government is a method through which the dictatorship of the proletariat can be exercised in large populations. Soviet democracy is democracy by proxy. The theory being that members of the soviets, being close to those workers or lower soviet members that they represent, can thereby accurately translate the people's decisions into legislation, and be more responsive than a centralized parliamentary democracy. Ultimately soviet democracy is based on direct democracy, especially with its advocy of recallable delegates.
Read more about this topic: Soviet Democracy
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