The “Soviet Project” in the North Caucasus: Estimates, Successes and Miscalculations

Abstract. The article examines the implementation of the “Soviet project” in the North Caucasus in the 1920s–1930s. The analysis of the literature allowed us to come to the conclusion that this problem, despite its obvious relevance, is still insufficiently investigated. Meanwhile, the correctness of the decisions taken and their successful implementation depend on the interaction of the federal Center and the regions. Based on this, the purpose of the article is to analyze the historiographical situation around the history of the reception of the “Soviet project” on the territory of the North Caucasian subjects in the interwar period. The variety of interpretations of both the term “Soviet project” and the mechanisms of its implementation does not allow a single concept to develop, which ultimately introduces dissonance into the study of the problem. This article is staged, because it is supposed to study the main trends in historical science related to modernization as a more general problem of Soviet socio-economic and cultural life of the 1920s–1930s.
The analysis of literature and archival sources led to the conclusion that the integration of the region into the socio-cultural space of the country has given certain positive results. However, the artificial equalization of ethnic groups that stood at different stages of public life led to miscalculations in the ongoing transformations, and, consequently, the collapse of many initiatives, often going against the traditional forms of life of the mountain village, which caused tension between the population and the authorities.

Keywords: “Soviet project”, modernization, reforms, North Caucasus, achievements, miscalculations, sovietization.