The Constituent Assembly of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia adopted the country's first Constitution under dramatic circumstances on February 21, 1921, in the final days of the Republic’s existence. Less than a month after its adoption, Georgia was conquered by Bolshevik Russia, resulting in an occupation that lasted for 70 years. The country’s independence was ultimately restored on April 9, 1991.

The adoption of a constitution is a momentous event in the history of any nation, as it serves as a reflection of a society’s core values and its level of political development. The legal provisions enshrined in the Constitution of the First Republic of Georgia were fully aligned with the fundamental principles of European society. These included the protection of human rights, religious tolerance, gender equality, universal suffrage, the rule of law, multiculturalism, and legal guarantees for ethnic minorities. Additionally, the Constitution affirmed the secular nature of the state, underscoring Georgia’s commitment to democratic governance and inclusivity.

The primary archival institution preserving documents from the period of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921) is the Central Historical Archive of the National Archives of Georgia. The documents housed in the Central Historical Archive serve as the principal sources for studying the history of the drafting and adoption of Georgia’s first Constitution in 1921.

Archival Fund No. 1836—the National Council of Georgia—contains records of the parliamentary body established by the Georgian Social-Democrats in 1917. The National Council exercised authority until March 1919, when the newly elected Constituent Assembly of Georgia assumed power. Archival Fund No. 1833—the Constituent Assembly of Georgia—preserves documents related to the constitutional drafting process from March 1919 until the Constitution’s official adoption on February 21, 1921. In both archival collections, the records of the Constitutional Committee are arranged chronologically.

Discussions regarding the adoption of a Georgian Constitution began before the country’s declaration of independence, during the sessions of the National Council of Georgia in 1917. This process is documented in the archival records of the Council’s activities from 1917 to 1921. According to our archival research, a total of 32 archival files (delos), comprising approximately 4,000 pages, were identified from this period. These files include minutes of Constitutional Committee sessions, correspondence, preliminary drafts, and constitutional proposals submitted by various political groups. A detailed examination of these materials revealed 74 documents specifically addressing minority rights, as well as draft versions of the Constitution proposed by members of different political parties and other political actors.

The official newspapers of that period, primarily two publications—the state newspaper Republic of Georgia and the official organ of the ruling party, Ertoba—regularly published articles on the development of the Constitution. Additionally, discussions on constitutional matters appeared in several other newspapers, including Alioni, published by Alionelebi, a faction within the ruling Social-Democratic Party; Sakhalkho Sakme, associated with the Socialist-Federalist Party; Shroma, affiliated with the Socialist-Revolutionary Party; and Sakartvelo, the official publication of the National-Democratic Party.

In total, approximately 3,200 issues of these newspapers were published, the majority of which have been reviewed in our research.

The following is a list of archival items that document either draft versions of the Constitution proposed by various political groups or discussions related to the rights of ethnic minorities:

Sessions of the Constitutional Commission of the National Council of Georgia (1918-1919)

1. July 10, 1918 – Third article: The Government has the right to temporarily employ foreign citizens until the nationalization of institutions is complete.
2. July 10, 1918 – Recruitment of Muslims in the army.
3. August 7, 1918 – G. Naneishvili’s Statute: No one is obligated to belong to a religious organization and can always leave one.
4. August 17, 1918 – Every citizen, regardless of nationality, sex, and religion, is equal before the law.
5. September 14, 1918 – Board Member Chikovani's proposal: National minority representatives in the National Council should be required to know Georgian.
6. September 21, 1918 – Discussion on the provision of the state language of Georgia.
7. November 13, 1918 – Draft law on Georgian citizenship.
8. December 12, 1918 – Regulation of elections in the People’s Council of Abkhazia.
9. December 18, 1918 – Additional regulation of elections in the People’s Council of Abkhazia.
10. December 27, 1918 – Provision of elections in the People’s Council of Abkhazia adopted by the National Council and Government of Georgia.
11. February 24, 1919 – Discussion on religious issues, particularly on Muslim clergy.
12. February 24, 1919 – Additional draft law to obtain Georgian citizenship.

Constitutional Discussions & Draft Laws on Citizenship and Minority Rights

13. G. Naneishvili’s Statute – Rights and Obligations of Citizens of the Republic of Georgia.
14. Noe Zhordania’s Speech – On the functions and powers of the Founding Council, with remarks on border regions and residents.
15. Additional draft law on citizenship/national subordination – Foreigners who lived in Georgia for at least five years before July 19, 1914, can obtain Georgian citizenship.
16. Provision on the state language of Georgia – Georgian is the official state language, but minority languages are regulated separately.
17. Pavle Sakvarelidze’s report (without date) – Draft law on citizenship by the Chairperson of the Constitutional Commission.

Constituent Assembly of Georgia – Sessions & Debates on Minorities and Citizenship (1919-1920)

18. April 5, 1919 – Minority rights and citizenship.
19. May 16, 1919 – Review of citizenship matters.
20. April 22, 1919 – Minority rights discussion assigned to R. Arsenidze.
21. May 5, 1919 – Law of Citizenship adopted by the Commission.
22. Constitution of the South Ossetia Canton.
23. July 2, 1919 – Social-Federalist I. Baratashvili’s opinion on national minorities.
24. September 1, 1919 – Decree from the Conference of Muslim Georgians of Batumi District.
25. Letter of Memed Abashidze – Chairperson of the Muslim Georgians of Batumi District, addressed to the Government of Georgia.
26. September 27, 1919 – Statement from the Abkhazian National Council representative.
27. October 22, 1919 – Issue of local self-governments.
28. Proposals of the National Democratic Party – Recommendations for constitutional development.
29. December 10, 1919 – Proposal for guaranteeing the rights of national minorities.
30. Amendments to the First Chapter of the Constitution – Socialist-Revolutionary Fraction recommendations.
31. January 24, 1920 – The issue of minority rights.
32. Draft Constitution by Vasil Tsereteli – Proposal by a National Democratic Party member.

Sessions on National Minority Rights (1920-1921)

33. Pavle Sakvarelidze’s Report – “For the Constitution of Georgia.”
34. February 14, 1920 – Discussion on inviting minority representatives to commission sessions.
35. February 20, 1920 – Full session dedicated to national minority rights.
36. February 26, 1920 – Another session focused entirely on minority rights.
37. Cultural Autonomy for Germans in Georgia.
38. Draft Statute on Greek Self-Government in Georgia.
39. March 10, 1920 – Joint session of the Constitutional Commission and minority representatives.
40. March 17, 1920 – Discussion of Armenian and Ossetian draft constitutions.
41. March 20, 1920 – Rights of national minorities.
42. May 5, 1920 – Minority rights discussion.
43. May 8, 1920 – Minority rights discussion.
44. May 10, 1920 – Minority rights discussion.
45. May 17, 1920 – Rights of foreigners in Georgia; Report by Pavle Sakvarelidze.
46. May 22, 1920 – Review of the Czechoslovak Constitution and its treatment of minorities.
47. May 1920 – First draft of Georgia’s Constitution adopted by the Constitutional Commission.
48. July 6, 1920 – Armenian National Council resolution on minority rights.
49. July 7, 1920 – Session on Abkhazia’s autonomy.

Abkhazia & Autonomy Discussions (1920)

50. Letter from the Constitutional Commission Chairperson to the Minister of Justice – Regarding Abkhazia’s autonomy.
51. Letter from the Constitutional Commission Chairperson to the Minister of Internal Affairs – Regarding Abkhazia’s autonomy.
52. July 9, 1920 – Joint session with Abkhaz People's Council on autonomy.
53. July 10, 1920 – Abkhazian public figure Arzakan Emkhvari participates in discussions on autonomy.
54. July 13, 1920 – Further discussions on Abkhaz autonomy and civil rights.
55. July 14, 1920 – Further discussions on Abkhaz autonomy and civil rights.
56. July 15, 1920 – Further discussions on Abkhaz autonomy.
57. July 16, 1920 – Formation of the Abkhazian government.
58. July 23, 1920 – Further discussions on Abkhaz autonomy.
59. July 24, 1920 – Discussion of trade and economic issues in Abkhazia.

Final Discussions & Adoption of the 1921 Constitution

60. Session of the Constituent Assembly of Georgia – Debates on the Constitution, speeches from Noe Zhordania and opposition leaders.
61. January 17, 1921 – Session of the Constitutional Commission.
62. February 3, 1921 – Memorandum from Georgian Jewish representatives on religious education rights.
63. Giorgi Gvazava’s Proposal (without date) – Constitutional guarantees for national minority rights.

Newspaper articles:

1. Sakartvelo (May 16, 1918, N92) – Editorial article discussing issues of national minorities.
2. Sakartvelo (May 16, 1918, N92) – Article by Shalva Amirejibi (National Democrat).
3. Peoples' Rights in a Socialist State – Article by S. Dadiani.
4. Alioni (July 8, 1918, N28) – Letters about the Constitution of Georgia.
5. Alioni (July 15, 1918, N29) – Letters about the Constitution of Georgia.
6. Alioni (July 29, 1918, N31) – Letters about the Constitution of Georgia.
7. Sakhalkho Sakme (March 14, 1920, N777) – Issue of National Minorities & Georgian Jews.
8. Sakhalkho Sakme (March 15, 1920, N778) – National Council’s complaints about Georgian Jews.
9. Sakhalkho Sakme (April 1, 1920, N792) – About National Minorities.
10. Sakartvelo (November 12, 1920) – Issues of the Constitution of Georgia.

11.  Shroma (January 23, 1921) – Draft of the Constitution presented by Socialist-Revolutionary Party.

Bibliography for the 1921 Constitution:

1. Matsaberidze M., Political Conception of the 1921 Constitution of Georgia, Tbilisi, 1996.
/მაცაბერიძე მ., საქართველოს 1921 წლის კონსტიტუციის პოლიტიკური კონცეფცია, თბილისი, 1996/

2. Matsaberidze M., The 1921 Constitution of Georgia: Development and Adoption, Tbilisi, 2008.
/მაცაბერიძე მ., საქართველოს 1921 წლის კონსტიტუცია. შემუშავება და მიღება, თბილისი, 2008/

3. The Foundation of Georgian Constitutionalism – 90^th Anniversary of the 1921 Constitution of Georgia, Batumi, 2011.
/ქართული კონსტიტუციონალიზმის სათავეებთან - საქართველოს 1921 წლის კონსტიტუციის 90 წლისთავი, ბათუმი, 2011/

4. Matsaberidze M., The Institute of the President in the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921), Tbilisi, 2011.
/მაცაბერიძე მ., პრეზიდენტის ინსტიტუტის საკითხი  საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკაში (1918-1921), თბილისი, 2011/

5. Kantaria B., Principles of Western Constitutionalism and the Legal Nature of the Form of Governance in the First Georgian Constitution, Dissertation, Tbilisi, 2012.
/ქანთარია ბ., დასავლური კონსტიტუციონალიზმის პრინციპები და მმართველობის ფორმის სამართლებრივი ბუნება პირველ ქართულ კონსტიტუციაში, დისერტაცია, თბილისი, 2012/

6. Constitution of the First Republic of Georgia (1921): Materials and Documents, Vol. 1, Tbilisi, 2015.
/საქართველოს პირველი რესპუბლიკის კონსტიტუცია (1921) მასალები და დოკუმენტები, ტომი 1, თბილისი, 2015/

7. Kazemzadeh F., The Struggle for Transcaucasia 1917-1921, translated by K.Kantaria, edited by G.Mamulia, Tbilisi, 2016.
/ქაზემზადე ფ., ბრძოლა ამიერკავკასიისთვის 1917-1921, ქ. ქანთარიას თარგმანი, გ. მამულიას რედაქტორობით, თბილისი, 2016/

8. Constitution of the First Republic of Georgia (1921): Materials and Documents, Vol. 2, Tbilisi, 2018.
/საქართველოს პირველი რესპუბლიკის კონსტიტუცია (1921) მასალები და დოკუმენტები, ტომი 2, თბილისი, 2018/

9. Guruli V., Noe Zhordania: A Political Portrait, Tbilisi, 2018.
/გურული ვ., ნოე ჟორდანია, პოლიტიკური პორტრეტი, თბილისი, 2018/

Conclusion

The 1921 Constitution of Georgia was a significant achievement in enshrining democratic principles, particularly the protection of ethnic minority rights. Notably, the debates on civil rights for ethnic minorities were frequent and intense throughout the constitutional drafting process, reflecting the diversity and complexity of Georgian society at the time. Archival research reveals that national minority rights were discussed in numerous sessions, with over 40 records specifically addressing these issues, ranging from citizenship laws to cultural autonomy. These discussions highlight the importance placed on inclusivity and legal guarantees for minorities, underscoring the Republic's commitment to a multicultural society, despite its brief existence before the Soviet occupation.