Soviet Policy of “Militarism” and the Formation of a Totalitarian Regime in Ukraine in the 1920s–1930s

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The article analyzes the peculiarities of the formation period of a totalitarian regime and ideological dictatorship in Soviet Ukraine during the 1920s-1930s. One of the key characteristics of this stage is the constant narrative of struggle imposed both against external enemies and on internal “fronts”. This narrative aimed to foster a “militaristic” fervor in society, contributing to the consolidation of the foundations of totalitarianism and the gradual Sovietization of education and science. The aggressiveness of the regime, reaching its peak during the mass repressions of the “Great Terror” era, upheld and firmly established the “correct” ideological direction of development in all spheres of life, including science, education, and culture. The term “militarism” in relation to the processes characteristic of Ukraine in the 1920s-1930s reflects the state described by Thomas Hobbes as a “war of all against all’, where the line between “friends” and “foes” is manipulatively blurred. As demonstrated in the article, the Soviet-imposed ethos of “militarism” towards imaginary enemies, former colleagues, family, and even oneself formed the basis of intellectual life during the mentioned period. The peculiarities of this ethos are analyzed in the context of the policies of “militant atheism” and “militant materialism”, the process of Sovietization of scientific and educational institutions, and the mass purges and repressions of the late 1930s. The proposed approach to analyzing the characteristics of the Ukrainian intellectual environment of the 1920s-1930s through the lens of the narrative of “militarism” contributes to a comprehensive understanding of intellectual processes, including philosophical ones, during the Soviet era.