The Soviet Constitution: myth and reality - Richard Schifter's address before the American Bar Association in San Francisco, August 10, 1987 - transcript

US Department of State Bulletin, Oct, 1987

It is for that reason that I want to end my remarks with an appeal to you. If the ABA/Association of Soviet Lawyers agreement is renewed, I sincerely hope that American participants will try to learn how the Soviet system works, will learn to understand the facade which the Soviet Constitution presents, a facade behind which any Politburo directive can supersede any alleged constitutional guarantee.

I hope that American participants will not be shy about explaining to the Soviet lawyers they meet the difference between a constitution which a country's political leadership can manipulate at will and one which with the help of an independent judiciary can, indeed, shield the individual citizen against oppressive government. In responding to you, a good many of your interlocutors will parrot the party line, but deep down they will understand what you are talking about.