16 
superior to the governments of the 15 republics, but the republics have been 
granted a measure of decentralized administration of Soviet affairs through 
their own subordinate administrative units, suchas ministries. Some republic 
ministries are supervised by counterpart All-Union ministries located in 
Moscow. Any facility directly administered by a republic ministry or other 
administrative unit is also indirectly supervised bythe All-Union government. 
A republic governmental structure is similar at thetop levels to that of 
the U.S.S.R.(16,17) (See Figure 3 for government structures.) Soviet govern- 
ments are parliamentary at least inform. The parliaments, called Supreme 
Soviets, execute Party policies and decisions which are incorporated into 
State law. (See Figure 1 for the interrelationships of State organs.) 
U.S.S.R. and republic general assemblies are called Supreme Soviets 
whose members are called deputies. The Supreme Soviets meet for short 
periods oftime to convert the prioracts of their Presidiums and their Councils 
of Ministers into laws. During Supreme Soviet sessions, bills are introduced 
by the Councils of Ministers to be passed by the Supreme Soviets. (16,17) 
Recently, joint decrees of the Central Committee of the Communist Party 
and the U.S.S.R. Council of Ministers have become common, although there 
is no constitutional provision for such joint decrees.(34) When the Supreme 
Soviets are not in session, their Presidiums exercise all the powers of the 
larger body. The U.S.S.R. Presidium shares executive powers with the U.S.S.R. 
Council of Ministers. 
The Supreme Soviets, especially the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet, are useful 
as training schools for future leaders, and as sounding boards for Party and 
State policies. To be elected a deputy to a Supreme Soviet is an honor, and 
deputies, usually the elite from all walks of life in the Soviet Union, include 
scientists, technologists, and educators. 
Councils of Ministers in both the All-Union and republic governments 
are collectives of chief executives and administrators. Councils of Ministers 
are re-formed after new Supreme Soviets meet for the first time. The com- 
position of the Councils is outlined by constitutional provisions which allow 
some leeway in the selection of both number and types of ministers. It is not 
unusual to appoint heads of auxiliary administrative units, such as planning 
committees, as ministers, Chairmenofthe republic Councils of Ministers are 
automatically ex officio members ofthe U.S.S.R. Councilof Ministers. Although 
there are indications that there is a Presidium of the U.S.S.R. Council of 
Ministers, its total composition has not yet been published by the Soviet 
Union. Usually, top-level Party personnel who are members of the Council 
of Ministers form the bulk of the Presidium.(35) 
In its executive capacity, a Council of Ministers organizes its ministries, 
committees, main administrations, and other bodies, to whichare subordinated 
