Interaction of Togrsin’s trade offices in the Middle Volga region with local party authorities

The Tatar and Middle Volga trade offices of Torgsin in the Middle Volga region and their interaction with local party authorities are studied. Using previously unpublished archival sources, key features of this process are identified. The tactics employed by Torgsin’s leaders to influence political officials for their own benefit are revealed. Analysis of the conflicts between Torgsin and the party demonstrates that Torgsin’s leaders were well aware of the vital role that their organization played in mobilizing values and financial resources. Therefore, they were ready to protect their organizational interests and advance their agenda further. The study concludes that the interaction between the two offices of Torgsin and local party authorities in the Middle Volga region was surrounded by contradictions: although controlled by the local government, they wielded their influence through the central directorate of Torgsin and higher-level party structures.