The Twelfth Party Congress and The Sultan-Galiev Affair

Abstract

The year 1923 was crucial for the development of the Bolsheviks’ national policy. The Georgian affair and the question of Lenin’s articles had to be tidied up. In the case of Mirsaid Sultan-Galiev, a national deviation had developed into organised anti-Party activity. Finally, the constitution of the USSR defined the relations of the national republics to the centre. The outcome of these debates was to strengthen political control over the republican leaderships, while reinforcing the policies of national recruitment and the cultural, language and educational rights of the national minorities. In addition a new emphasis was placed on the industrial development of the non-Russian regions.