Sovnarkom
Decrees on Democratization of the Army


Written: December 16-17/29-30, 1917
First Published: Sobranie Uzakonenii i Rasporiazhenii Rabochego i Krestianskogo Pravitelstva, 1917, No. 9, pp. 136-38.
Source: James Bunyan and H.H. Fisher, The Bolshevik revolution, 1917-1918: Documents and materials, Stanford University Press; London: H. Milford, Oxford University Press, 1934, pp. 298-299.
Translated: Emanuel Aronsberg
Transcription/Markup: Zdravko Saveski
Online Version: marxists.org 2017


1. The army, as the servant of the will of the toiling people, is to be subordinate to the sovereign of that people, the Soviet of People's Commissars.

2. The full power within any army unit or combination of units is to be in the hands of its soldiers' committees and Soviets.

3. .... The [soldiers'] committees are to exercise control over those spheres of [the army's] activity which the committees do not handle directly.

4. The elective principle for army officers is hereby introduced. All commanders up to the regimental commander are to be elected by a general vote of the [different units] .... Commanders higher than regimental commanders and including the supreme commander-in-chief are to be elected by a congress .... of committees of the army units [for which the commander is being elected] .....

7. Positions of a technical nature which require special training .... such as physicians, engineers, aviators .... are to be appointed by the committees .... from among persons having the required special knowledge.

8. Chiefs of staff are elected ..... from among persons with special training.

9. All other staff officers are to be appointed by the chief of staff. These appointments are to be ratified by the [soldiers'] congresses .....

10. Commanders above the drafting age, .... if they are not elected to any post, and are thereby demoted to the position of privates, have a right to leave service .....

V. ULIANOV (LENIN)

President of the Sovnarkom

N. KRYLENKO

People's Commissar of War and Navy

PODVOISKY

People's Commissar of War


In fulfillment of the will of the revolutionary people which is concerned with the immediate and decisive eradication of every inequality in the army, the Sovnarkom hereby decrees:

1. To do away with all ranks and titles from the rank of corporal to that of general, inclusive. The army of the Russian Republic is henceforth to be composed of free and equal citizens bearing the honorable title of "soldier of the revolutionary army";

2. To do away with all privileges and the external marks formerly connected with the different ranks and titles;

3. To do away with saluting;

4. To do away with all decorations and other signs of distinction;

5. To do away with all officers' organizations .....

6. To abolish the institution of orderlies in the army .....

V. ULIANOV (LENIN)

President of the Sovnarkom

N. KRYLENKO

People's Commissar of War and Navy

PODVOISKY

People's Commissar of War