Economic and Cultural Adaptation of the Rehabilitated Peoples of the North Caucasus in their Former Places of Residence

Abstract

The article examines measures aimed at the economic and cultural adaptation of the repatriated North Caucasian peoples, which followed the well-known Decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 28 and July 16, 1956 on the removing restrictions on the special settlements of deported peoples, although without the right to return to their places of former residence. The measures taken by the state authorities aimed at legitimizing the spontaneous resettlement of representatives of the North Caucasian peoples from the places of special settlements are considered. Issues related to rehabilitation have repeatedly attracted the attention of Russian researchers, however, in their writings, much attention is paid to the fate of special settlers, but not to the state, which acted as a regulator of the process of rehabilitation and territorial reintegration of the North Caucasian peoples. This process expressed in the unification of titular groups within the national republics. Along with social actions, economic measures are being taken to support new territorial entities through the construction of industrial and household infrastructure facilities. The state paid great attention to public education, as well as to the training of the national intelligentsia from the representatives of the returned population. In the interests of further democratization and strengthening the role of working people in the political and economic life of the country, the work of local soviets, trade unions and other public organizations was reorganized, which included representatives of the rehabilitated peoples on an equal basis. The restoration of the economic potential in the foothill and mountainous regions of the KBASSR, KChASSR and ChIASSR, carried out at the expense of the federal budget, allows us to conclude that the state was interested in the speedy fulfillment of its obligations to the affected North Caucasian peoples. Of course, not all issues were resolved on time, but the beginning of the process of correcting mistakes made earlier by the state indicates a positive trend towards the democratization of the USSR.