First Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union

First Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union was a senior governmental position within the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union. It was formally established in 1953, serving as the principal deputy to the Premier of the Soviet Union and often overseeing critical sectors of the state economy and administration. The role was a key post in the political hierarchy, frequently held by prominent members of the Politburo and was central to the Cold War-era governance of the USSR.

History and establishment

The position was formally created by a law passed by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 15 March 1953, in the immediate aftermath of the death of Joseph Stalin. This reorganization of the Government of the Soviet Union merged several ministries into super-ministries, and the new post of First Deputy Premier was designed to manage these powerful entities. The first appointee was Lavrentiy Beria, the feared head of the NKVD, who was also a member of the ruling Presidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The establishment of the role was part of a broader power struggle within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union following Stalin's death, as figures like Georgy Malenkov, Nikita Khrushchev, and Vyacheslav Molotov vied for control. Throughout its existence, the office remained a strategic appointment, reflecting the balance of power within the Kremlin and the priorities of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Role and responsibilities

The First Deputy Premier acted as the primary substitute for the Premier of the Soviet Union, chairing meetings of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union in the premier's absence and coordinating the work of other deputy premiers. Holders were typically assigned oversight of the most vital and complex sectors of the Soviet planned economy, such as heavy industry, state planning, military-industrial production, and foreign trade. During the Kosygin reforms of the 1960s, First Deputy Premier Alexei Kosygin played a central role in economic management. The position also involved significant diplomatic duties, representing the USSR in international forums and negotiations, including key Cold War summits and within the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. The officeholder was a crucial link between the party leadership in the Politburo and the ministerial apparatus.

List of officeholders

Numerous influential Soviet politicians served as First Deputy Premier. The first was Lavrentiy Beria in 1953, followed by Vyacheslav Molotov. Under Nikita Khrushchev, Anastas Mikoyan and Frol Kozlov held the post. The lengthy tenure of Leonid Brezhnev saw Kirill Mazurov, Dmitry Polyansky, and Nikolai Tikhonov serve in the role. Mikhail Gorbachev's period of Perestroika included appointees such as Vladimir Velichko and Yuri Maslyukov. Other notable holders included Nikolai Baibakov, long-time head of Gosplan, and Geidar Aliyev, who later became President of Azerbaijan. The position was often a stepping stone to the premiership, as was the case for Alexei Kosygin and Nikolai Ryzhkov.

Relationship to the Premier

The relationship between the First Deputy Premier and the Premier of the Soviet Union was constitutionally defined as one of direct subordination, but in practice, it was deeply influenced by the internal politics of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The premier, who was formally appointed by the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, relied on their first deputy to manage the sprawling ministerial bureaucracy. However, the actual authority of the officeholder depended heavily on their personal standing within the Politburo and their relationship with the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. During periods of transition or illness of the premier, the first deputy could wield considerable power, as seen during the later years of Alexei Kosygin's premiership. The role was distinct from that of the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the ceremonial head of state.

Abolition and succession

The office was abolished with the dissolution of the USSR on 26 December 1991. The failed 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt in August had already fatally weakened the central Government of the Soviet Union, and the subsequent Belovezh Accords signed by leaders of the Russian SFSR, Ukrainian SSR, and Byelorussian SSR declared the Soviet Union extinct. In the newly formed Russian Federation, the functions of the First Deputy Premier were inherited by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, a position established within the Government of Russia. The final Soviet First Deputy Premier, Vladimir Velichko, along with the last premier, Ivan Silayev, oversaw the technical liquidation of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union in the final weeks of 1991.

Category:Government of the Soviet Union Soviet Union Category:Defunct political offices in the Soviet Union