REPRESENTATIVES OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IN THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA (1919-1921)

Malkhaz Matsaberidze; Tamar Orjonikidze; Natia Zedginidze

Malkhaz Matsaberidze Doctor of Political Science, Professor, Ivane Javakishvili Tbilisi State University Faculty of Social and Political Sciences http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7989-1480
Tamar Orjonikidze PhD student of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Faculty of Social and Political Sciences http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7867-912X
Natia Zedginidze PhD student of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Faculty of Social and Political Sciences http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7156-037X

Abstract

The article deals with the activities of the representatives of national minorities in the Constituent Assembly of Georgia based on the analysis of the documents reflecting the elections of the Constituent Assembly (1919), stenographic records of the sessions of the Constituent Assembly (1919-1921) and those-days Georgian press and archival materials.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia granted a wide-range of rights to national minorities and tried to integrate them into the newly created state. In this respect the activities of the ruling political party – the Social Democratic Workers’ Party of Georgia – had a tremendous significance, which, through its party list guaranteed representation of almost all national minorities in the Constituent Assembly of Georgia. On the bases of analysis of biographies their future fate in the emigration or under the Bolshevik repressions is highlighted.

Keywords: Georgia; the Constituent Assembly of Georgia; National Minorities; Parliamentarianism; Political Parties; Elections.