THE LAND ISSUE IN THE NATIONAL POLICY OF THE SOVIET STATE IN KAZAKHSTAN (1920-1928)

Аннотация

The agrarian policy of the Soviet state has consistently garnered attention from historians, particularly during the first decade of Soviet rule. This period marked a time of significant change as traditional economic systems and rural lifestyles were transformed. The history of pre- collective farm peasantry in the Soviet era is well documented, both in terms of the sheer volume of literature produced and its scientific merit. However, many aspects of the Bolshevik's agrarian policy in the 1920s remain controversial. One of the most debated issues is the unique nature of the Soviet state's agrarian policy in remote areas, including Kazakhstan, whose socio-economic situation during the specified period was quite distinctive. This article explores the agrarian reforms implemented by the Soviet government in the 1920s in Kazakhstan, a multi-ethnic region shaped by unique colonization patterns. The Soviet government's agrarian policy in Kazakhstan was marked by several distinct features. The article highlights the challenges in shifting policy approaches in the latter half of the 1920s, including the conflict between those advocating for strict centralization and Kazakh party members advocating for "national communism". This conflict was most prominently displayed in regards to preserving ethnic privileges in land management, and efforts to maintain a ban on the resettlement of non-Kazakh peasants. Using archival materials, the author demonstrates that the attempt to reconcile the national aspirations of Kazakh communists with socialist ideals resulted in failure, leading to accusations of "national deviationism" and purges within the party and state institutions. The article also examines the factors that worsened inter-ethnic relations during the implementation of agrarian reforms, focusing on the characteristics of land management practices and their impact on the formation of an ethnocentric model of governance in Kazakhstan.