COMPARATIVE, COLLECTIVE PORTRAIT OF THE HIGHEST REPRESENTATIVE BODIES OF KAZAKHSTAN 1938-2024 (PROSOPROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS)

This article identifies key trends in the qualitative composition of deputies of Kazakhstan’s highest representative and legislative bodies from 1938 to 2024. Given the extensive timeframe, the analysis is divided into two stages: the Soviet period (activity of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR) and the period of independent Kazakhstan (activity of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan). The study examines party affiliation, socio-professional background, ethnicity, education, gender, and age of deputies. It reveals dynamic changes over time and demonstrates how CPSU policies influenced the exercise of representative authority during the Soviet era. That period was marked by the absence of genuine parliamentarism, both formally and substantively. In contrast, the Parliament of independent Kazakhstan shows a gradual trend toward democratization, competitive and alternative elections, and increased pluralism within a relatively short historical span. The article concludes by emphasizing the growing role of representative and legislative institutions in ensuring the sustainable development of the Republic of Kazakhstan in contemporary conditions. Keywords: Deputies, Supreme Soviet, Constitution, Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, CP KSSR, elections.