E. N. Mokshina, D. A. Smolin, K. A. Suslov. Some aspects of national-state building amongthe Finno-Ugric peoples in the USSR

Introduction. The article considers some aspects of the national-state building of the Finno-Ugric peoples in the USSR. It highlights the ways of realization of the policy of the Soviet power in this matter. Its positive achievements, as well as contradictions and omissions in the implementation process are represented. The research aims at giving the complex analysis and the objective assessment of the national-state building processes of the Finno-Ugric peoples in the USSR.
Materials and Methods. The article summarized legislative documents and materials contained in the works of Soviet and contemporary authors on this problem. Such methods of research as comparative, historical, genetic, legal, descriptive, logical were used to achieve the goal. It also employed the method of actualization which allowed to connect the development of modern processes with the historical experience of the past.
Results and Discussion. The research traced the dynamics and certain tendencies of the realization of the national policy towards the Finno-Ugric peoples in the USSR. The analysis of the national-state building processes among them allowed concluding about the significance of the Soviet stage in their development, despite some contradictions, mistakes and omissions in the actions of the Soviet leadership. Underestimation of the national problems of the ethnic groups within the USSR, along with many other unsolved problems in the economy, politics, spiritual and social spheres, accumulated in the State, eventually led to its collapse, which led to problems in geopolitics.
Conclusion. Considering all aspects of nation-state building in the USSR made it possible to conclude on the significance and value of creating national administrative-territorial formations among Finno-Ugric peoples, whose continuations are the present-day national subjects of the Russian Federation. The conclusion was made that the established foundations of the nation-state structure of the Russian Federation should be preserved as an important factor in the preservation and development of Finno-Ugric peoples.

Keywords: Finno-Ugric peoples, USSR, nation-state building, autonomy, national policy, ethnic territory, nation

For citation: Mokshina EN, Smolin DA, Suslov KA. Some aspects of national-state building among the Finno-Ugric peoples in the USSR. Finno-ugorskii mir = Finno-Ugric World. 2023;15;1:44–52. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.15507/2076-2577.015.2023.01.44-52.