ADMINISTRATIVE-TERRITORIAL DIVISION IN THE RSFSR (1920s–1930s)

Abstract

The article discusses the process of changes in the administrative-territorial division of the RSFSR in the 20s–30s of the XX century. The article distinguishes several stages. Relying on historiography and sources, the author tries to analyze and summarize the historical experience in reorganization of the RSFSR administrative-territorial system from the “spontaneous” emergence of new administrative-territorial units against the background of the existing old-regime administrative-territorial units to the first consolidation reform, when governorates, volosts, uyezds were finally liquidated, as well as the second reform of the Soviet government, the essence of which was fragmentation. The study shows that all the transformations of the young Soviet republic in the studied area took place in connection with changes in the form of power organization, as well as with a change in the principles of regional policy and the direction of economic development of the country’s territories. At the present stage, opinions on the return to the governorate administration began to appear more and more often in the research literature, which became the subject of a detailed analysis by the author of this work. The article suggests and substantiates possible directions for improving the administrative-territorial division of the RSFSR after the reform in the 1920s–1930s in order to implement the policy of the Bolsheviks and further territorial development of the country. The main approaches to the formation of the RSFSR administrative-territorial division, identification of local socio-economic systems, determination of the optimal size of administrative-territorial entities are highlighted. The interrelation between the administrative-territorial division and economic zone division in Russia is substantiated.