The article is devoted to the issues of Soviet civil procedural legislation, in particular the institution of insolvency (bankruptcy), the procedure for liquidating an insolvent debtor-organization, the peculiarities of the procedure in relation to state enterprises. Soviet bankruptcy can be roughly divided into two main periods: in the first period of the NEP (1927-1931), there was a rapid formation and development of insolvency legislation. In the second period of 1931-1991 there was a rapid curtailment of insolvency: unprofitable enterprises were built into the Soviet economy and existed at the expense of state funding, periodic cancellation of debts in the economic systems of ministries and departments. Formally this institution existed in the Code of Civil Procedure of the RSFSR until 1964 and in some bylaws until perestroika and the collapse of the USSR.