Collective Portrait of the Members of Local Councils of the Perm Region on the Eve of Political Reform of 1988–1991

The research is carried out on the base of city and district Soviets` reports on organization and activities of local Soviets in Perm region in 1987. The study is based on the method of prosopography, which had been efficiently used by researchers in composing collective portraits and biographies. The collective portrait of local Soviets` deputies is composed in the result of analysis of the most important social and cultural characteristics. As can be seen from collective portrait, local Soviets differed from other authorities by democratic composition and had high potential for public and civil activities. However, these characteristics were not the only conditions, which determined the level and effectiveness of local Soviets. The implementation of their potential was related to administrative, financial, economic, organizational and other conditions. The results demonstrate that destroying of the Soviet system was not connected with deputies themselves, but with aforesaid conditions.