100 years ago, the Bolsheviks created a fundamentally new state – the USSR

The press secretary of the presidential administration announced that the Russian authorities would not celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: “We will not celebrate.”

That’s right, it’s logical. What is “celebrating”? Anniversary of what they themselves “cancelled”? Or the 31st anniversary of the Belovezhskaya agreement: “The Union of the SSR as a subject of international law and geopolitical reality ceases to exist”?

The Soviet Union became a mighty state – the founder and center of another, communist, world. After World War II, an ideological and political association of socialist countries from Europe to Asia and Africa arose. It collapsed along with the USSR – the ideological doctrine and economic practice did not stand the test of time. This is a historical fact – without evaluation and analysis.

In the former Soviet Union republics, now independent states, opinions and judgments about the USSR are very different: from a “totalitarian empire” to a “brotherhood of peoples”.

The bottom line is that both this and that, and the third, as well as many other hypostases of that life are reality, reality. Many in the countries of the former post-Soviet space will react with skepticism, and even with indignation, to the assertion of a “brotherhood of peoples.” Because equality was of a certain nature: everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others, the national autonomous and union republics depended on Moscow in everything, sometimes their indigenous population was treated condescendingly and patronizingly, and in everyday manifestations – semi-disdainfully, the word “natsmen” took place, and in general – Russification …

However, we note that it was under the USSR that the national cultures of the peoples of the Volga region, the Urals, the North, Siberia, the Far East and Central Asia received a new impetus for development.

Of course, Russification took place. But, if we talk abstractly, then in some similar abstract country, in place of the Russian language, there could be another, ubiquitous language. In one large multinational state, an indispensable condition for its existence and life is a universal state language. This is a necessary condition for a single economic space. Through the Russian language, familiarization with world literature, culture, and science began. But at the same time, the number of schools in indigenous languages ​​was reduced everywhere and reduced to a minimum. For example, in the North Kazakhstan region with a population of 650 thousand people, hundreds of Russian schools operated – and only one single Kazakh boarding school. Actually, there was no choice. But when he was (in regional cities), the parents themselves sent their children only to Russian schools, because education in Russian opened up unconditional prospects for further education, mastering general humanitarian, scientific and technical disciplines, for work and career.

And the brotherhood of peoples, the friendship of peoples – were. The point is not in particular examples – everyone has their own. And not even in general. There is an arithmetic, statistical proof. The revolutionary era of perestroika and glasnost has begun. We talked about everything without hesitation. About excessive centralization, about the infringement of certain rights, mutual accusations and claims rained down. In the republics, including the broad masses, it was believed that “Moscow does not allow breathing”, controlling everything and everyone, not to mention “robbery, the export of all minerals.” And in Russia, including the broad masses, they also believed that Russia “feeds the national republics”, and it’s time, finally, “to throw them off our necks.” By the way, the “parade of sovereignties” began with the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the RSFSR, adopted by the First Congress of People’s Deputies of Russia on June 12, 1990.

And yet … In March 1991, the All-Union referendum on the preservation and renewal of the USSR was held. Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova did not participate in it. And 77% of citizens from nine republics voted for a common life in a common country. In the summer of 1991, a project was developed to conclude the Union of Soviet Sovereign Republics as a decentralized federation. It is not known what the renewed USSR would have become. In August, a putsch broke out, arranged by self-styled members of the self-styled State Committee for the State of Emergency (GKChP).

It must be noted here that the conspirators then shouted at all corners, and for some reason the press willingly quoted them that they wanted to preserve the Soviet Union, countered the “destructive plans of President Mikhail Gorbachev.” In fact, these people sought to maintain their power, their positions. They knew from the wiretapping materials that with the signing of the new Union Treaty, they would lose all their posts. The putschists were defeated, but as a result of their actions, a dirty deed was accomplished – the foundations of the power of the allied structures were undermined. And on December 8, 1991, President of the RSFSR Yeltsin, President of the Ukrainian SSR Kuchma and President of the Byelorussian SSR Shushkevich secretly accepted and signed the so-called Belovezhskaya Agreement: “The Union of the SSR as a subject of international law and a geopolitical reality ceases to exist.”

If there hadn’t been a coup, Yeltsin, Kravchuk and Shushkevich would never have dared. In Belovezhskaya Pushcha they took advantage of what the putschists had already done before them.

Now about those politicians who blame everyone except themselves for the collapse of the USSR. Representatives of the Communist Party are especially active. Obviously, in order to “expand the electorate”, feeling the mood of the population. Just the other day, the chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Gennady Zyuganov, said:

“The collapse of the USSR could have been completely prevented if in 1991 a couple of courageous commanders had been found and Yeltsin and these conspirators would have been arrested in Belovezhye, and the people would have rushed to defend their interests more vigorously.”

Yes, during the years of perestroika and glasnost there was an unprecedented rise in the democratic movement of the masses in Moscow and St. Petersburg. However, let’s look at things directly – the authorities themselves then called for activity, in both capitals people were not afraid to take to the streets. But Alma-Ata, Baku, Vilnius, Tbilisi remembered and still remember the brutal suppression of rallies and demonstrations. In the provincial towns and villages of the USSR, the people behaved with restraint. If you had won the GKChP in Moscow, you would have lived under the rule of the GKChP. Only Muscovites didn’t allow it.

In last year’s article about those events (https://kprf.ru/party-live/cknews/207154.html) Zyuganov called Yeltsin, Kravchuk and Shushkevich “hypocrites and criminals”, “putschists”, “criminal clique”, and accused the President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev of actually indulging them: “Gorbachev’s direct duty was to order the arrest of the putschists in the same place , in Belarusian Polissya. But he was criminally inactive. This has become the starting point of many modern troubles and problems.

The secret Bialowieza document was submitted on December 12, 1991 for discussion by the Supreme Council of the RSFSR. The agenda of the meeting includes the ratification of the Belovezhskaya Accords and the denunciation of the treaty on the formation of the USSR of December 30, 1922.

On the first question: “against” – 6, “abstained” – 7, “for” – 188 deputies.

On the second: “against” – 3, “abstained” – 9, “for” – 161.

“The Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, which ratified the Belovezhskaya Accords, exceeded its powers,” Gennady Zyuganov wrote. – Contrary to Article 104 of the Constitution of the Republic, he adopted decisions on issues within the competence of the Congresses of People’s Deputies of the RSFSR and the USSR. In total, the ratification procedure violated more than 30 articles of the current Constitution of the RSFSR.

So the Supreme Soviet is to blame. Who was in that Supreme Soviet? The absolute majority are members of the CPSU. The democratic wing of the parliament, starting with the Declaration of Sovereignty of Russia, in principle, according to its convictions, voted “for”. But the communists could successfully resist them and cancel the Belovezhskaya agreements. But they didn’t. And who is to blame?

In other words, the USSR was collapsing from all sides.

As for the people, they lived and live in constant cognitive dissonance. According to a sociological survey, 75% of Russians believe that the Soviet era was the best time in the history of the country. At the same time, only 28% of our citizens agree to “return to the path that the Soviet Union was following.”

Sergei Baimukhametov.