p Comrades, during the period under review the Party has accomplished considerable and extremely diverse work 410 aimed at further strengthening the Soviet state and perfecting the entire political organisation of our society. The principal orientation of this work—in accordance with the tasks of communist construction—has been and remains the further development of socialist democracy.

p In our country, as everybody knows, the organs of people’s power—the Soviets of Working People’s Deputies—are the foundation of the socialist state and the fullest embodiment of its democratic nature. This, comrades, is a mighty force. Today they comprise over two million deputies, who administer the affairs of our state of the entire people at all its levels. With them at the Soviets there is an army of 25 million activists, dedicated voluntary assistants. Permit me to remind you that the need to enhance the role of the Soviets was underscored in the decisions adopted by the 23rd Congress of the CPSU. To achieve this a lot has been done over the past years. To this end the powers of the district, town, rural and settlement Soviets have been extended also in such an important field as coordinating, within the limits of their competence, the work of factories and economic organisations situated in their territories. Their material and financial resources have been enlarged and they are getting more trained personnel.

p The work of the Soviets has, on the whole, become more active and many-sided. The deputies now meet more regularly with their electorate and give an account of their work to them. Also important is the fact that the press, radio and television are gradually making it a practice of reporting the work of the Soviets more fully.

p Greater control is exercised by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Soviets of the Union republics over the work of ministries and departments and over the state of affairs in the key sectors of economic and cultural development. The larger number of standing commissions and the more efficient organisation of their activities are enabling the deputies to display more initiative, delve deeper into the work of the executive bodies and participate more actively in drafting laws.

p The Party attaches great importance to perfecting Soviet legislation. During the period under review attention was concentrated on the legislative regulation of questions such as improving the public health services, strengthening family relations, further bettering labour relations and ensuring 411 nature conservation and the rational utilisation of natural wealth. On all these questions the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Soviets of the Union republics have passed the appropriate laws after broad discussions with the participation of millions of citizens.

p Another point, comrades. There is now a pressing need for a special law defining the status, powers and rights of deputies—from the Supreme to the settlement Soviets—and also the duties of officials with regard to deputies. ( Applause.} It seems to me that the passage of such a law would enhance the authority and activity of deputies. (Applause.)

p The successful realisation of the tasks facing us presupposes the precise and efficient work of the state apparatus. Hence the increased demands made on the administrative apparatus. The introduction of modern means and methods of administration begun in recent years, creates the condition for a more rational organisation of the administrative apparatus (applause), for cutting its operational costs and reducing its personnel. Steps have already been taken in this direction, and they shall be continued.

p Most of the employees of the state apparatus are highlytrained, conscientious and considerate people. Their work merits the highest appreciation and respect. But it must be admitted that there still are callous officials, bureaucrats and boors. Their conduct evokes the just indignation of Soviet citizens. Relying on public support, the Party is and will go on making resolute efforts to achieve more efficiency in the work of the administrative apparatus.

p The way we see it efficiency in administration organically combines an attentive, solicitous attitude to the needs and cares of the working people with a prompt consideration of their applications and requests. An atmosphere of good will and of respect for man must reign in every institution.

p In the system of Soviet socialist democracy an important place is occupied by the organs of people’s control, in whose work millions of factory and office workers and collective farmers now take part. The Party will continue doing everything to secure the steadfast implementation of Lenin’s precepts on constant and effective control by the broad masses.

p Comrades, an important feature of the socialist system is that in our country the working people participate in the 412 administration of society not only through state organs but also through a ramified network of mass organisations, above all, such as the trade unions and the Komsomol.

p Today our trade unions have more than 93 million members. This is practically the entire working class, the whole of the working intelligentsia and numerous sections of rural workers.

p The trade unions are one of the key links in the general system of socialist democracy, in drawing the working people into the administration of the affairs of the state and society. They participate in solving many problems of economic development—from the drawing up of state plans to the management of each enterprise. They play an important role in the production and social work of the personnel of factories, building projects and offices. They help to inculcate a communist attitude to labour and social property, and work to satisfy the cultural and everyday requirements of the people and protect their health.

p The safeguarding of the legitimate interests of the working people remains one of the basic tasks of the trade unions. It is no secret, for example, that we still have enterprises where over-time is systematically practised, where people are unnecessarily deprived of days off and where, here and there, labour safety is poorly organised. The trade unions can do much to eliminate these abnormal phenomena.

p The Party’s line is to continue enhancing the role and efficiency of the trade unions. Without assuming petty tutelage over the trade unions, the Party organisations must do everything to promote their activity and initiative, strengthen them with cadres and make more exacting demands on Communists working in trade unions.

p The Party will continue giving constant support to the trade unions as the largest organisations of the working people and seeing to it that they are able to fulfil their role of school of administration, school of economic management and school of communism more fully and successfully. (Applause.)

p In the country’s social and political life an important place belongs to the Lenin Komsomol, which unites over 28 million young men and women. It would be hard to name a sector of economic and cultural development where the energy, creative initiative and ardour of Komsomol 413 members have not been displayed. Komsomol shock building projects, team contests of skill by young workers, students’ building detachments, youth production brigades and summer work and recreation camps are among the concrete and vital tasks being accomplished by the Komsomol, which is the leader of Soviet young people.

p The Komsomol’s central task has been and remains to bring up young people in the spirit of communist ideals and devotion to our Soviet motherland, in the spirit of internationalism, and actively to propagate the norms and cultural values of our society.

p The different groups of our young people—young workers, collective farmers, specialists, students and schoolchildren—have their own special features. The Komsomol must be able to work with each of these groups. On it largely depends the correct and timely vocational orientation of young men and women, and the education of the rising generation in a spirit of profound respect for work at factories, farms and in the fields.

p In recent years there has been a considerable extension of the Komsomol’s range of tasks in questions of the labour, education, recreation and everyday life of young people. Party organisations have begun to show more determination in assigning responsible sectors of work to Komsomol members. The Komsomol is now more active socio- politically. An indication of this is that over half a million young people have been elected to organs of state power—the Soviets of Working People’s Deputies. Nearly 20 per cent of the deputies to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR are young people.

p The Party constantly draws new forces from the Komsomol. In the period after the 23rd Congress 45 per cent— or 1,350,000—of new members came from the Komsomol. In the same period the number of Communists working in the Komsomol has doubled. This conforms to the 23rd Congress directives on strengthening the Party nucleus in Komsomol organisations. It is worth making it a rule that Komsomol members admitted to the Party should continue working actively in the Komsomol until they are given other assignments by their Party organisation.

p The Party is justly proud of the young builders of communism. Our duty is to pass on to the rising generation our political experience and our experience of resolving 414 problems of economic and cultural development, to direct the ideological upbringing of young people and to do everything to enable them to be worthy continuers of the cause of their fathers, of the cause of the great Lenin. (Prolonged applause.)

p In the development of socialist democracy an important task is to enhance the role of our labour collectives, which are the basic units of socialist society. This is a major field of struggle for stepping up the labour and social activity of Soviet people. The new, socialist qualities of the working people and the relations of friendship and comradely mutual assistance take shape in these collectives. The responsibility of each to the collective and of the collective for each of its members is an inalienable feature of our way of life.

p During the period under review the Central Committee and the Soviet Government have continued taking steps to strengthen legality and law and order, to educate citizens to observe the laws and rules of socialist community relations. The work of the militia, the procurator’s offices and the courts has been improved.

p It is not only the task of the state apparatus to strengthen legality. Party organisations, the trade unions and the Komsomol are in duty bound to do everything to ensure the strictest observance of laws and promote the legal education of the working people. Respect for legality and for the law must become part and parcel of the make-up of every person. This is particularly true of persons in office. No attempt to deviate from or to go round the law is to be tolerated, no matter what the motives. Nor can we tolerate any violation of the rights of individuals and infringement of the dignity of citizens. For us Communists, champions of the most humane ideals, this is a matter of principle.

p The fight against crime remains a serious task. Stricter punishment has lately been established for some kinds of crime. Alongside punishment, as provided by the law, a great measure of concern is displayed in our country to find ways and means of discouraging and preventing crime.

p In face of the continuing subversive activity by imperialism an important role is played by organs of state security. During the period under review they have been reinforced with politically mature cadres. The Party consistently educates the personnel of these organs in the spirit of Leninist 415 principles, of absolute observance of socialist legality, in the spirit of unremitting vigilance in the struggle to safeguard Soviet society against the actions of hostile elements and against the intrigues of imperialist intelligence services.

p Comrades, everything created by the people must be reliably protected. To strengthen the Soviet state means to strengthen its Armed Forces and raise our country’s defence capability to the highest possible level. As long as we live in a troubled world, this will remain one of the most important tasks!

p The Soviet Army is part of our people and shares their interests. In our country military service is not only a school of combat skill. It is also a good school of ideological and physical steeling, of discipline and organisation.

p Carrying out the people’s will, the Communist Party works tirelessly to strengthen the country’s defence. Questions relating to the development of the Armed Forces were among our main concerns during the period under review. The measures taken in recent years have made it possible substantially to strengthen the might and combat capability of the Armed Forces. The Soviet people may rest assured that our glorious Armed Forces are prepared to repel an enemy attack at any time of the day or night from any quarter. Any possible aggressor is fully aware that in the event of attempting a nuclear-missile attack on our country he will be dealt a devastating counterstrike. (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

p When speaking of the glorious Soviet Army, we must say a few good words about our war veterans, about the soldiers and commanders who safeguarded our country’s freedom in the Great Patriotic War. They had not even had time to rest after the tremendous tension of the war years: the war veterans once again found themselves at the front— the labour front. Many of our wartime comrades are no longer here with us. But millions are still on active duty. Some continue to serve in the army, others are giving the country their knowledge and labour at the factories and construction sites, on collective and state farms, in scientific institutes and schools. Let us wish them all sound health, happiness and fresh successes in their endeavour for the sake of communism! (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

p Comrades, as you know, questions of democracy are now at the centre of the ideological and political struggle 416 between the world of socialism and the world of capitalism. Bourgeois ideologists and revisionists raise a hypocritical hue and cry, alleging that we have no democracy. They offer us all sorts of “advice” on how to “improve” and “democratise” socialism. But their concern is not for socialism, of course. They would like to return us to bourgeois practices and, therefore, try to force bourgeois democracy on us, a democracy for exploiters, alien to the interests of the people.

p A vain, useless venture. Soviet people have their own democracy, a socialist democracy, with their own principles and traditions for developing it. (Prolonged applause.) There is no freedom in general, just as there is no democracy in general. This is a class concept. That is how Lenin put the question, and that is how our Party puts it today. (Applause.) We see the meaning and content of socialist democracy in the increasingly broader participation of the masses in the administration of state and social affairs. In our country the entire political system of society and the steadily growing initiative of the people serve the building of communism. This sort of democracy is vital to us and it is an indispensable condition for the development and consolidation of socialist social relations.

The Party’s constant concern is that our socialist democracy should steadily develop and that every person should feel he is a citizen in the full sense of the word, a citizen interested in the cause of the entire nation and bearing his share of the responsibility. The Party will go on consistently implementing this very line. (Prolonged applause.)