Sep 10, 2026 · 25 min · 11 segments
Although the word "soviet" makes people think of the USSR these days, it meant something quite different back in the early history of the Irish labour movement. It was when rather than strike, workers…
Ciaran ConliffeHost
Nowadays, when people hear the word Soviet, they usually think of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
It was a union, made up of many, though of course with one undisputed leader.
Those members described themselves as republics because they had no king and were led by elected representatives.
They all subscribed to a socialist doctrine, with the idea that the land and assets of the state were held by the people in common rather than by individuals.
Soviet is just the Russian word for council, but has come to mean much more than that.
This would elect the Soviets for their district, and this would continue up to the Supreme Soviet of each country, who acted as its rulers.
The idea was that this would be a truer form of democracy than the parliamentary system of the West, which had initially arisen to serve monarchs.
The true ruling power of the Soviet Union was the Communist Party, and the Soviets only served to act as a way for their decisions to be ratified.
Nowadays, when people hear the word Soviet, they usually think of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
It was a union, made up of many, though of course with one undisputed leader.
Those members described themselves as republics because they had no king and were led by elected representatives.
They all subscribed to a socialist doctrine, with the idea that the land and assets of the state were held by the people in common rather than by individuals.
Soviet is just the Russian word for council, but has come to mean much more than that.
This would elect the Soviets for their district, and this would continue up to the Supreme Soviet of each country, who acted as its rulers.
The idea was that this would be a truer form of democracy than the parliamentary system of the West, which had initially arisen to serve monarchs.
The true ruling power of the Soviet Union was the Communist Party, and the Soviets only served to act as a way for their decisions to be ratified.
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