Public organizations in the Soviet political system in 1920-1930: model of interaction (on the example of Ossetia)

The article examines the interaction of Soviet government agencies with public organizations in the 1920s and 1930s. The author analyzes specific mechanisms and forms of state-public relations based on a wide range of archival documents introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The article reveals the distinctive features of the Soviet model of interaction between the authorities and public associations, which are conditioned by the socio-economic and political nature of the Soviet system. The one-party political regime, the elimination of private ownership of the main means of production, the nationalization of the entire financial and industrial sector, and the class approach to the social sphere formed the basis for interaction in which the state played a leading role. The authorities organized, managed, and controlled public initiatives. The author analyzes the interaction between the state and public organizations using the example of Osoaviakhim (Society for Assistance to Defense and Aviation-Chemical Construction). Extensive archival material shows how increased control over the activities of public organizations contributed to their transformation into an appendage of the state governance system. The author comes to the conclusion that despite the costs and shortcomings, the model of interaction between the state and public organizations in the specific historical conditions of the Soviet system of the 1920s-30s demonstrated its relevance, expediency and effectiveness. Numerous societies and unions gave the opportunity to broad layers of workers to raise their educational level and to join the achievements of culture. They became a form of personal self-realization for millions of Soviet citizens.