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Vol 6, No 4 (2024)
DEBATING ISSUES OF HISTORY
Between globalism and regionalism: visions of world order in the Indo-Pacific
Abstract
The growing influence of the Indo-Pacific region (IPR) in world politics is one of the most important megatrends of our time. This process is accompanied by the growing influence of small and medium-sized Asian states in global and regional politics, their aspiration for greater subjectivity in international relations and their reliance on their own traditions to justify their worldview and foreign policy. The Westphalia model of international order, formed on the basis of the traditions of European law and values, is being criticized and pressured by non-Western actors in international relations. The article analyzes assessments, proposals and theoretical ideas in the countries of the Indo-Pacific region about the modern world order and possible forms of its restructuring. The study reveals a variety of claims to the Eurocentric model of the world order on the part of Asian actors, most of whom oppose the «order based on international law» to an international order that takes into account their historical traditions, experience and values. The analysis of the content of proposals to reform the world order shows the absence of a universal approach. The growing fragmentation of the world order does not mean its disintegration. The new universality lies in recognizing the diversity of states, societies and regions. The modern world must give way to a more pluralistic «multiplex world».
13-20
HISTORY OF RUSSIA
Workers and employees of concession companies in Altai: working conditions and characteristics of activity at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries
Abstract
The efficiency and productivity of an enterprise directly depend not only on the actions of management, but also on the conditions under which the employees work. This article examines the socio-economic and legal status of employees in concession companies in the Altai mining industry during the period of rapid development of capitalism in Russia. Within the scope of this article, we attempt to analyse imperial legislation, the number of employees, types of positions, and their household and financial conditions using examples from the implementation of concession policies in the region. Our research methodology is based on the «microhistory» approach. The text highlights the evolution of regional labor laws, changes that were directly related to the Altai gold mining industry. Information is provided on the number of employees and types of work in mining enterprises. The comparative results of wages at individual concessions in the region and on a national scale are summarized. The main social and domestic challenges faced by employees at concession companies in Altai, such as a lack of access to quality healthcare and unsanitary living conditions, are discussed. Additionally, efforts by concession management to address these issues are presented.
21-28
Self-taxation of the Ural peasants in the 1920–1930s
Abstract
In the history of the Soviet state, the phenomenon of self-taxation of the rural population is of particular scientific interest. When studying the tax policy of our country in the 1920s and 1930s, one cannot ignore additional payments by the population along with the agricultural tax. Self-taxation had various forms: monetary, in-kind, and labor participation. Although the chosen topic has been studied by historians, it has not lost its relevance, since it can be studied from the point of view of domestic history, economic history, and the history of the state and law. Finding itself in the most difficult economic conditions, the country's leadership during the years of the new economic policy decided to use the initiative of the peasantry to improve life in the countryside, their cultural and economic needs with the help of voluntary self-taxation at first. After the grain procurement crisis of 1927/28, self-taxation changed from independent management of peasants’ funds to a mandatory element of the rural economy, when the forced confiscation of peasant funds served as an instrument for encouraging villagers to sell grain and other products on unfavorable terms. The purpose of the study is to reveal the features of the transformation of self-taxation from voluntary to compulsory using the example of the Urals, the largest region of the country. The object of study was the Ural peasantry. The subject of the study is the influence of the authorities, through legislation, on the independent, feasible participation of peasants in the development of rural infrastructure; the transformation of self-taxation into a mandatory payment; and the reflection of villagers on innovations in tax policy. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the comprehensive and systematic analysis of self-taxation in the Ural region based on numerous historical and legal sources, usually introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The results of the conducted research showed that the authorities violated the initially defined rights of peasants to free expression of will in solving pressing cultural and social issues. Self-taxation became a mandatory, compulsory part of replenishing the rural budget.
29-42
ECONOMIC HISTORY
The first attempts to break through the financial blockade of Soviet Russia (on the example of the issue of an International labor Assistance loan)
Abstract
The article considers an attempt by the Soviet leadership to use the capabilities of the international financial market to overcome hunger in the country. The process of developing and implementing for this purpose a bond loan of International labor Assistance to Soviet Russia among foreign proletarian organizations is described. Special attention is paid to the participation of the Comintern in the agitation and distribution of loan bonds. The difficulties of placing a loan abroad are shown. Some results of one of the first attempts to break the financial blockade by Soviet Russia have been summarized.
43-53
Territorial structure of the Russian banking system (late 1980s — early 2020s) in the context of international historical experience
Abstract
The article, based on statistical data and other information, is focused on the development of the geographical features of the Russian banking business from the initial market reforms of 1987–1988 to the present day. The above-mentioned issues are considered in the context of similar territorial shifts in the banking systems of a number of foreign countries. It is noted that soon after the start of reforms in Russia, there was an explosive growth in the number of banks. Accordingly, the number of cities in which banking headquarters were located increased at approximately the same rate. However, already from 1993–1995, competition mechanisms reversed these trends. A very similar change in trends was observed at the same time in a number of other post-Soviet republics and former Comecon countries that were making the transition to a market economy. However, in relatively small countries, during the 1990s and 2000s, there could be a complete return of banking management functions to national capital cities, while in Russia (where Moscow also has strengthened its leadership position) there are still dozens of cities with their own credit corporations. This geographic diversity and some other factors provide grounds for comparing Russia not with its neighbors in the former socialist camp, but with the United States. A new set of comparisons shows both the fundamental similarity of some trends and the sharp difference between the two countries in the role of the administrative-territorial factor.
54-63
SOCIOCULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS IN THE PAST AND PRESENT
Position crime during the Great Patriotic War
Abstract
The article examines the phenomenon of economic crime among executives of government bodies, institutions and enterprises of various departmental affiliations in the context of social upheavals caused by the consequences of total war. The most common types of torts are characterized. The circumstances and motives that prompted the commission of acts dictated by selfish considerations and entailing administrative or criminal penalties are analyzed. The measures of influence from the Party Control Commission and justice bodies against subjects who violated the established rules and regulations are presented. The behavioral strategies that were used by the latter in order to resolve the legal conflicts that arose are described. The reasons that contributed to the mitigation or cancellation of punishment for the offenders are clarified. It is established that membership in the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), official status, professional qualifications and past merits were factors that facilitated both the organization of economic crimes and the evasion of responsibility in the event of possible exposure. From the perspective of criminal economic anthropology, criteria are proposed for determining the types of embezzlers of state property.
64-73
DEBATING ISSUES OF GENERAL HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
The strategy of the British Labour Party and trade unions in the context of the socio-economic crisis of the turn of the 1910s–1920s
Abstract
The article analyzes the complex socio-economic processes that took place in the UK in the first years after the end of the First World War, as well as the strategy of the Labour Party, which by that time had become one of the key elements of the British political system to solve the problems that arose. The subject of the study is the approaches of the leaders of the Labour Party and the closely related leadership of the largest trade unions to solving labor conflicts that arose in the post-war period, as well as issues related to improving the social situation of workers in key sectors of British industry. The author notes that by the time of the end of the First World War, the Labour Party, which positioned itself as an exponent of the interests of not only workers, but also representatives of broad strata of British society, put forward a program of broad transformations in the socio-economic sphere, including the expansion of the social insurance system and labor rights, increased state participation in regulating socio-economic processes, as well as the nationalization of some key sectors of British industry. At the same time, the majority of Labor members saw the achievement of these goals solely through parliamentary methods of political struggle and negotiations with the government. Based on the results of the review, the author concludes that the leadership of the Labour Party tried to use the socio-economic difficulties that arose after the First World War to strengthen its political influence and expand its electoral base. At the same time, Labor's fears about the possible radicalization of the labor movement led to weakness and inconsistency in the party's position regarding labor conflicts that arose during this period. The inconsistency of the Labour Party's socio-economic strategy was one of the factors in the rapid fall of the first Labour cabinet in 1924.
74-80
The UN Secretary-General Trygve Lie's activities in 1946–1949: American press assessments
Abstract
According to Russian historiography, UN Secretary-General Trygve Lie became a pro-Western politician from the very beginning. Based on the analysis of publications from the leading American newspapers of the 1940s, The New York Times and The Washington Post, the authors of the article show that T. Lie often became the object of criticism by journalists. The article reveals the specifics of coverage of the Secretary General's work in the American press. In the press, the UN Secretary-General was often accused of sympathizing with Soviet initiatives and criticizing their policies, and whole discussions about collective security took place. It is concluded that the assessments of T. Lie's activities fluctuated depending on the situation in the international arena, the opinions of publishers and publicists, as well as changes in the foreign policy interests of the Truman administration. Based on the analysis of sources, it is shown that the activities of the Secretary General during this period were not perceived as pro-American in the United States itself. In the period 1946 to 1949. T. Lee sought to mediate between the United States and the USSR. Leaders of both superpowers often found his active position irritating, preferring a more obedient head of an international peacekeeping organization.
81-86
Changing approaches to Finnish security issues after the collapse of the Soviet Union
Abstract
The transformation of the modern world order has led to a change in the relationship between the Russian Federation and Finland. The latter took an unfriendly position towards Russia, which, of course, could not but affect Finland's security policy. On April 4, 2023, Finland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and largely defined a new era in the formation of its defense policy. The author tries to assess this event through the analysis of the transformation of Finnish security issues after the collapse of the Soviet Union. How unexpected was the decision to join NATO? Or was it the result of purposeful attempts to change the internal system of approaches — both to interaction within the framework of the Nordic countries and cooperation with Russia? These are the main questions that the author raises in the article, attempting to analyze the changing approaches in the field of Finnish security issues after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The author's conclusions indicate that the changes in security policy (which led the country to NATO) are the result of a fairly systemic policy of strengthening the joint Northern European defense, pressure from Western allies, and the growth of the «Russian threat». We can also talk about a gradual evolution from the soft aspects of security to its more rigid forms in security policy, which is undoubtedly due to the departure from cooperation with Russia.
87-94
HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Department of History of Science at RSUH — notes for the future
Abstract
The article deals with the history of the Department of History of Science at the Russian State University for the Humanities. The pedagogical and research activities of the department, the contribution of its staff to the history of science and technology are analysed, the context in which the department worked at RSUH is shown. Problem points identified in the process of the department's work are highlighted. Current topics related to the teaching of the history of science and technology in modern conditions are proposed for discussion.
95-99
Activities of Udmurt actors in the preservation of monuments of industrial heritage — the main building and arsenal of the Izhevsk arms plant in the 1960–1980s.
Abstract
The article reconstructs the conservation process in the 1960–1980s. monuments of industrial heritage — the main building and the arsenal, located on the territory of the former Izhevsk arms factory. The sources for the study were archival materials stored in one central and two regional archives, as well as information from periodicals. Many materials are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The author reconstructs the course of events related to the placement of objects under state protection, their repair and reconstruction. Those proposed in the 1960–1980s have been identified. ways of using these monuments, including taking into account the recommendations of regulatory documents of that time. It has been established that some intensification of the process of preserving the objects under study occurred in the second half of the 1980s. and in one case it was completed in 1994 (arsenal), and in the other it is currently being implemented (main building).
100-106
ARCHAEOLOGY
Analysis of archaeological weapons in the vicinity of Bogucharsky district Voronezh region
Abstract
This article proposes a mechanism for the formation of deposits of marsh, meadow and lake iron ore mined in the Novgorod land in the Middle Ages. It is shown that this mechanism correlates well with spectral analyses conducted by Kolchin A.B. with archaeological weapons found on the territory of northern Russia. The characteristics of Novgorod-made weapons highlighted in this way made it possible in this article to separate foreign-made weapons from Novgorod ones based on the material of 232 random iron finds analyzed by the RFU in the Bogucharsky and Rossoshansky districts of the Voronezh Region and the Verkhnedonsky district of the Rostov region. In our model, the Poland,Novgorod-made warrior's weapons and equipment make up about 1/3 of all finds. For the rest (foreign), among the well-known deposits of Central Asia, Russia and Europe, the main place of extraction of iron ore of the corresponding chemical composition in Spain is allocated near Bilbao. Extraction of iron ore here have well known history. Based on the chemical composition, some observations were made about the technology of manufacturing iron weapons in Europe and the Novgorod Republic in the Middle Ages.
107-122
DOCUMENTARIES, DOCUMENTATION, ARCHIVAL STUDIES
Documents from regional archives on new holy martyrs and confessors — patrons of sobriety (on example of the Moscow diocese)
Abstract
This article presents an overview of documents of state regional archives (the Central State Archive of the City of Moscow and the Central State Archive of the Moscow Region) which may be a source about life and activity of new martyrs and confessors of the Russian Orthodox Church of the 20th century — active figures in the temperance movement of the Moscow diocese. The performed search for new biographical data about holy martyrs-confessors of sobriety of Moscow diocese allows us to conclude that the parish and consistorial church documentation of the late 19th — early 20th centuries, stored in the funds of the Central State Archive of the City of Moscow, has a significant information potential. First of all, it is necessary to note such a type of church sources as parish registers and clergy lists containing information about the clergy and church servants and members of their families. Additional information on the genealogy of the Orthodox clergy of the pre-Soviet period can also be found in census tales, confessional lists and marriage searches. In the funds of the regional archives of the Soviet period, the most informative sources on the subject are the service records of the clergy and church servants of the 1920s–1930s and documents of the Soviet judiciaries established after the October revolution. The publication will help everyone who studies the biographies of the martyrs and confessors of Russia and is interested in obtaining new information about their lives.
123-128
National operations of the NKVD 1937–1938: German, Polish and Harbin
Abstract
The article analyzes three main national operations of the period 1937-1938: German, Polish and Harbin. Based on published materials and historical sources introduced into scientific circulation, the reasons for the beginning of the operations are studied, the circle of people subject to repression is identified and the charges brought against them are examined. The author comes to the conclusion about the harmful activities of the German, Polish and Japanese special services in relation to the USSR, and also about the fact that some repressed Soviet citizens had direct or indirect connections with these countries. The main measures of punishment for these people were long-term imprisonment or the death penalty, and in relation to members of their families — the eviction of cities and the distribution of children to orphanages and special shelters.
129-135
HISTORIOGRAPHY
On the role of V.A. Antonov-Ovseenko in the preparation of the first volume of the «History of the Civil War in the USSR»: historiography of the problem
Abstract
The purpose of the research — to analyze the historiography of the role of V.A. Antonov-Ovseenko in the preparation of Volume I of the History of the Civil War in the USSR. The article considers one of the urgent problems of the historiography of the Civil War in Russia, including the analysis of the role of V.A. Antonov-Ovseenko in the preparation of the publication of the «History of the Civil War in the USSR» in 1928-1936. The author identifies and compares the existing concepts regarding the military, political and diplomatic activities of V.A. Antonov-Ovseenko. Special attention is paid to the study of time and the reasons for V.A.'s criticism. Antonov-Ovseenko projects the publication of two volumes of the «History of the Civil War in the USSR», as well as his analysis of the events of the beginning of the active phase of hostilities in Ukraine. Results. The author concludes that scientific works devoted to the biography of V.A. Antonov-Ovseenko do not fully and comprehensively reveal all aspects of his participation in the preparation of volume I of the History of the Civil War in the USSR. Therefore, the study of this stage of his political activity needs further comprehensive development.
136-141
Collective portrait against the background of the historical era: school authors textbooks of the history of the USSR (second half of the 1960s — first half of the 1980s)
Abstract
The author of the article continues the study devoted to historical education in the USSR, presented through the prism of school textbooks on the history of the USSR and the fates of their authors. The changes in the field of education that influenced the structure and content of textbooks are considered: the transition from a concentric system of education to a linear one, from trial textbooks to stable ones. The negative factors that turn school textbooks into a propaganda tribune of ideological memorable dates and decisions of the CPSU congresses are shown.
142-154
REVIEWS
Review of the collective monograph «Atlas of the Industrial Heritage of Greater Yekaterinburg». Authors: E. V. Alekseeva, T. Yu. Bystrova, V. V. Litovsky, S. A. Patrushev. Yekaterinburg: Tatlin, 2024. 2024. 400 p. with ill.
Abstract
The review analyzes the merits of a new interesting monograph, the Atlas of the Industrial Heritage of Greater Yekaterinburg, which contains information useful for the historical community. For the first time, one publication contains information on industrial cultural monuments of a large industrial region of the country. The publication is richly illustrated.
155-158
LIVING HISTORY
Researcher of the «solar wind» or a little about Oleg Leonidovich Weisberg: on his 90th anniversary
Abstract
The publication is dedicated to the scientific life and work of the famous astrophysicist O.L. Weisberg, who is called a researcher of the «solar wind» and one of the main creators of devices for space explorers. The article is based on the use of materials from an interview that Weisberg gave to Professor V.V. Zapariy, and is largely a citation of his story about his teachers and people who had a great influence on him as a scientist, and he also talks about his first steps in space exploration.
159-165