Abstract
The development of the CPSU’s nationalities policy and the related question of centre-republican and inter-republican relations occupied centre stage in the debates of the XXVIII Congress. At the heart of the dispute lay the question of the fate of the USSR and the CPSU. The debate raised fundamental political and constitutional questions, unvoiced since the formation of the USSR in 1922. The discussion highlighted the tensions not only within the central leadership regarding policy towards the nationalities question, but also the tension between the central and the republican party leadership — of mutual recriminations, attribution of blame for the crisis, and discussion of future responsibilities. The choices facing the USSR and the CPSU lies between a combination of options: (a) preserving the existing unitary structures; (b) the devolution of power in the direction of a new federal system; and (c) a loose association of parties and states within a radically new confederal system. Beyond these options lies the possibility of the USSR’s fragmentation and the secession of republics as wholly independent states, or ‘as in the case of Moldavia’ merger with another existing state.
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Notes
‘Draft Nationalities Policy of the Party Under Present Conditions, adopted by the CPSU Central Committee Plenum, Sept. 20, 1989’.
Pravda, July 10, 1990 (report by A. N. Girenko).
Ann Sheehy, ‘Is Moscow Considering a New Treaty of Union?’ Radio Liberty: Report on the USSR (hereafter RL: USSR), 1990, no. 7, pp. 9–11.
Stephan Kux, ‘Soviet Federalism’, Problems of Communism, March–April 1990, pp. 3–5.
Julia Wishnevsky, ‘Shevardnadze Said to Have Threatened to Resign in Dispute over Tblisi Commission’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 5, pp. 1–3.
Saulius Girnius, ‘Gorbachev’s Visit to Lithuania’, RL: USSR, 1990. no. 4, pp. 4–7.
Ann Sheehy, ‘Is Moscow Considering a New Treaty of Union?’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 7, pp. 9–11: Ann Sheehy, ‘Moves to Draw Up New Union Treaty’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 27, pp. 14–17.
Alexander Rahr, ‘From Politburo to Presidential Council’, RL: USSR no. 22, 1990, p. 4.
The texts of these laws were published in Izvestiya, 3/5.90; 10.4.90; 6.4.90; 4.5.90; 1.6.90. Ann Sheehy, ‘Supreme Soviet Adopts Law on Mechanics of Secession’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 17, pp. 2–5.
John W. R. Lepingwell, ‘Military Deputies in the USSR Congress’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 20, pp. 19–20.
Anne Sheehy, ‘Moves to Draw Up New Union Treaty’, p. 14, cites TASS, 17. 6. 90.
See the speeches by A. V. Vlasov, candidate member of the Politburo — Pravda, July 10, 1990; and Medvedev — Pravda, July 4, 1990.
Kathleen Mikhalisko, ‘Ukraine’s Declaration of Sovereignty’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 30, pp. 17–19. Roman Solchanyk, ‘Ukrainian Party Congress Supports State Sovereignty’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 29, pp. 21–22.
Stephan Kux, ‘Soviet Federalism’, Problems of Communism, March–April 1990, pp. 10–12.
Paul Goble, ‘Central Asians Form Political Bloc’, RL: USSR, 1990 no. 28, pp. 18–20.
Pravda, July 5, 1990 (report by N. E. Kruchina on the party budget).
Pravda, July 5, 1990. See also Kryuchkov’s replies to delegates questions — Pravda, July 12, 1990.
Dawn Mann, ‘Leading Bodies of CPSU Transformed’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 29, pp. 19–20.
Pravda, July 4, 1990 (Nazarbaev); July 12, 1990 (Karimov).
Pravda, July 6, 1990. See also Medvedev’s report and reply to criticisms of his leadership of ideological work — Pravda, July 11, 1990.
Saulius Girnius, ‘Lithuanian Parliament Declares Moratorium’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 28, pp. 25–26.
Alexander Rahr, ‘A Pyrrhic Victory for Gorbachev’, RL: USSR, no. 29, 1990, p. 7.
Elizabeth Fuller, ‘Azerbaijani Central Committee Elects New First Secretary’, RL: USSR, 1990, no. 5, p. 16.
Pravda, July 12, 1990. Alksnis also raised this question in the section on the nationalities question. See the report by Girenko — Pravda, July 9, 1990.
Ann Sheehy, ‘New Party Rules Give Republican Communist Parties More Autonomy’, RL: USSR, no. 29, 1990, pp. 12–13. SU/0821 C1/13 reports ‘Annus’s proposal was voted on and received 2,126 for and 1,930 against; not enough to be adopted; after commotion in the hall, there was a second vote, and the amendment was adopted by 2,771 to 1,343, with 63 abstentions’.
Pravda, July 9, 1990 (report by Mel’nikov).
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© 1992 R. W. Davies
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Rees, E.A. (1992). Nationalities Policy. In: Rees, E.A. (eds) The Soviet Communist Party in Disarray. Studies in Russian and East European History and Society. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230389205_5
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