Mythologized Representations in Soviet Thinking on the Nationalities Problem,

Soviet Students of the Ethnic Situation were unprepared to interpret recent developments. Many of them knew that the official picture of uniform and harmonious modernization in faraway regions did not fit the facts of life. However, particular discrepancies in the picture were seen piecemeal as separate cases of non-application of the official model. This model was nevertheless generally accepted owing to its highly mythologized form which made it easy to believe in. The requirement was imposed that this model of interpretation be substantiated — which did not require thorough studies and thus kept scholars and administration uninformed. The latter even preferred to stay ignorant and force restrictions upon research. ¹ Thus, a mythologized vision of nationality relations was created. I shall give some cursory insight into the premises of that vision, leaving aside its detailed applications.