The
following is a (kind of) plan for a synoptic question on nationalist
discontent, exploring the growth of discontent under each leader from Stalin to
Gorbachev. It’s not enough just to state what types of nationalist discontent
there were, but how they came about and create synoptic links.
Stalin
Deportations – 400,000 Crimean Tartars deported in
1944 for supporting German invasion (around 1 million Soviets defected to
Germans)
Baltic States – the 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact
entailed the Soviet annexation of the Baltic States, including Latvia, Lithuania,
Estonia, etc.
Ukraine – taken advantage of in
collectivisation drive of 1930s, resulted in famine across regions of Ukraine
Zhdanovism – the russification of culture, included
anti-Cosmopolitanism (anti-Western influence) and Russian Nationalism
Anti-Semitism – a result of the surge in
Russian nationalism was a surge in anti-semitism shown most explicitly in the
Doctor’s Plot
Khrushchev
Virgin Lands Scheme – 13,000 m2
of topsoil eroded by over-working the ground. Was seen as exploiting Kazakhstan
region for own interests
Khrushchev Thaw – could be viewed as
encouraging greater nationalism, but Khrushchev intended to give them more
freedoms so they would complain less. It gave a certain amount of nationalist
identity in culture, but not politics.
Decentralisation – power was given to regional
ministries while Russian representatives were given “second in command”
Brezhnev
“let sleeping dogs lie” – nationalities
didn’t present a danger, so he let them keep going
Second in command – Brezhnev continues to place
Russians second in command, but many Russians were encouraged to “go native”
Environmental concerns – the Aral
Sea in Uzbekistan was dried up through irrigation systems, leading to collapse
of the fishing industry, as well as strains of typhoid and hepatitis developing
Russification – 10/14 members of the
Politburo were Russian, Non-russian members were often Republican leaders and
not a part of the decision-making, meaning they weren’t concerned with
all-Union issues, but own Republican issues
Investment – greater investment in Kazakhstan
and there were attempts to correct economic disparities in regions
Andropov
and Chernenko
Anti-Corruption – Andropov attempted to get
rid of corruption which caused discontent since nationalities relied on
corruption for consumer goods and income as Moscow didn’t provide that
Chernenko
reversed that
Gorbachev
*Glasnost – lead to hopes of national
freedom, allowed the Baltic States to openly question the legality of their
annexation. Independence movements developed that Gorbachev tried to control by
sending tanks in, only further riling them up.
Democratisation – “people power” was extended,
and Republics with existing grievances and national identity adopted “popular
fronts”. Laver: “end of coercion and conformity”
Perestroika – failed perestroika and “left over”
dissatisfaction led to increased growth in nationalism
*= when
nationalist movements became an issue in the 1980s, this was more of a threat
in the Baltic States and the Ukraine and Transcaucasia than in the Asian
Republics. This was because they had a history of national independence, and a
fiercer resistance to Russification.
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