SOVIET ETHNIC NATIONALISTIC POLICY IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI REGION 1940-60 (ACCORDING TO ARCHIVES)

Abstract

Ethnic policy of Soviet Union had one main goal: to consolidate different ethnicities and form new and better soviet people  (Homo Sovieticus). Local government had to very carefully navigate this policy, in order to not cause grievances from local population as well as appease the ruling party. 

The following paper tries to gain deeper understanding of Soviet ethnic nationalistic policies in Samtskhe-Javakheti region during 1940-60s. After the displacement of Muslim citizens in 1944, Armenian population became the majority. Local government started heavily favoring Armenian population which often came at the cost of Georgian interests.

Materials, collected from local archive, as well as transcripts of local Soviet union party meetings, shows how much more privileged one ethnicity became over others. Paper also analyzes the reasons of native Georgian population leaving the region and the dangers the Georgian language faced.

Main finding of the paper is that ethnic policies of soviet union heavily affected native Georgian population causing its decline in the region. Above mentioned policies, ironically slowed down integration process toward homo sovieticus and led to confrontations between different ethnicities which still is prevalent to this day albeit on a lower scale.

key words: Samtskhe-Javakheti; National Policy; Ethnic groups; Language Policy.