НАЦИОНАЛЬНАЯ ПОЛИТИКА СССР В 1920-е ГОДЫ | УГНЕТАЛИ И ВЛАСТВОВАЛИ?

Summary

This video discusses the Soviet Union's 'korienizatsiya' (indigenization) policy during the 1920s, aimed at addressing the cultural, political, and social disparities between ethnic groups in Soviet republics. The policy promoted the use of local languages, the establishment of national schools, and greater representation of indigenous peoples in administrative roles. Despite its successes in overcoming historical Russian imperialism and fostering trust among minority groups, the policy faced challenges such as overshooting local needs and sometimes igniting nationalist sentiments. Overall, it marked a significant effort to reshape the relationship between the Soviet government and the diverse ethnic populations of the USSR.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Soviet government launched a policy of 'Korenization' in the 1920s to address the political, cultural, and social inequalities in national regions that had been oppressed under the Russian Empire.
• 😀 Korenization aimed to reduce the forced Russification policies of the Tsarist regime by promoting local languages, cultural practices, and representation in the government and education system.
• 😀 The policy of Korenization sought to foster trust among ethnic minorities by involving them more actively in governance and administration at local levels.
• 😀 Joseph Stalin outlined the core principles of Korenization at the 12th Congress of the RCP(B), emphasizing the need for a more national and inclusive form of Soviet power.
• 😀 By 1927, the percentage of non-Russian members in the Communist Party and local governance structures had increased, with significant rises in Ukrainian and Belorussian participation.
• 😀 The Soviet government implemented a significant expansion of education in native languages, ensuring that children could learn in their own languages, as well as offering religious education where requested.
• 😀 By the mid-1920s, local languages became the primary medium of instruction in schools, with large percentages of students in Belorussia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tatarstan learning in their native tongue.
• 😀 The Soviet government also introduced official documents and literature in local languages, ensuring that national minorities could access government services in their own languages.
• 😀 Despite the positive goals of Korenization, there were negative consequences, including resentment from non-indigenous populations who felt overlooked or marginalized in the process.
• 😀 Korenization had mixed reception, sometimes leading to increased nationalism and resistance from ethnic groups who felt the policy was being enforced too aggressively, without proper consideration of local needs.

Q & A

What was the primary goal of the Soviet government's policy of 'korennization' in the 1920s?

The main goal of 'korennization' was to eliminate the political, cultural, and socio-economic backwardness in national regions, counteracting the previous policy of forced Russification and fostering trust among ethnic minorities towards the Soviet regime by promoting local languages and cultures.

How did the Soviet government aim to integrate national minorities into the political and cultural life?

The Soviet government aimed to integrate national minorities by promoting the use of their native languages in education, government institutions, and cultural activities, and by encouraging locals to participate actively in governance.

What was the situation with ethnic minorities in terms of political power before the Russian Revolution of 1917?

Before 1917, ethnic minorities in the Russian Empire were marginalized, had limited rights, and were often excluded from political participation and education in their native languages.

What was Stalin's proposal at the 12th Congress of the RCP(b) regarding nationalities and language?

Stalin proposed that Soviet power in the republics should not only be Russian but multi-national. He stressed the importance of nationalizing all state institutions, including schools and government agencies, to make them accessible in the native languages and reflective of the daily life and customs of local populations.

How did the Soviet government approach the education system in national republics during the 1920s?

The Soviet government actively supported the creation of national schools, where education was conducted in local languages. They also encouraged the development of national literature and created alphabets for previously non-literate ethnic groups.

What was the impact of the 'korennization' policy on the representation of nationalities in Soviet government?

The policy led to a significant increase in the representation of local ethnic groups in government institutions. For example, by the late 1920s, local populations in Ukraine and Belarus were heavily represented in the Communist Party and government structures.

Why did the Soviet Union promote education in native languages during the early 1920s?

The Soviet Union promoted education in native languages to address the long-standing suppression of these languages under Tsarist rule, and to ensure that local populations could access education in a language they understood, fostering cultural pride and loyalty to the new government.

What challenges did the Soviet government face in implementing the 'korennization' policy?

The Soviet government faced challenges such as the lack of educated local personnel in many regions, which required the replacement of local leaders with Russian-speaking officials. There were also issues of resistance to the policy and a lack of support from certain national groups.

What were some of the negative consequences of the 'korennization' policy?

Some negative consequences included the marginalization of non-native populations in national republics, the rise of nationalism, and the imposition of the policy in a forced and sometimes aggressive manner, leading to tensions between different ethnic groups.

How did the Soviet approach to national languages differ from that of Tsarist Russia?

Unlike Tsarist Russia, where national languages were suppressed and replaced with Russian in education and government, the Soviet Union promoted the use of local languages in all aspects of public life, including education, government, and media, as part of its policy to support ethnic diversity and correct historical injustices.