The Tuvan People’s Republic (1921–1944): Formation of the Legislative Framework

The article discusses the process of laying the legislative foundations for the national state of Tuvans. The 1921 decision on the establishment of a nation-state resulted in the emergence
of the new legal framework for democratic development which started with the adoption of the basic law ― Constitution of 1921. The frst stage in the history of the Tuvan People’s Republic, from 1921 to 1929, was important and essential for the development of the state. During the period, the legal system was somewhat controversial. The state was headed by former offcials, noyons (‘princes’), who should have held a completely different domestic policy for the construction of socialism. This determined the coexistence of old and new standards. Evolutionary changes in social relations laid the basis for a gradual transition to an industrial society. And, most likely, it was not that dramatic for the people. Any political and social upheavals were fraught with adverse consequences. The rapid change in Tuva’s political system and social structure aggravated by disregard of the actual conditions
of social development led to a distortion of the ideas of democracy.
During the second phase of development, from 1929 to 1944, there was an abrupt change in the
course of the party and state on the path of socialist construction. The then all-Soviet processes were
fully reflected in the development policy of the Tuvan People’s Republic. In 1929, the historical 8th Congress of the Tuvan People’s Revolutionary Party was held which declared the fght against
‘right-wing deviations’ within the party and defned new social development objectives that consisted in following the socialist path. By the time, young administrators had been trained who gradually
superseded all the former political leaders. The adoption of the new policy by the Central Committee of the party resulted in a transformation of the legal system. The Party of the Tuvan People’s
Republic became the primary authority within the system of political institutions. Gradually, the legal framework was patterned by that of the Soviets and completely replaced in 1940. Thus, the conditions
for the subsequent incorporation by the USSR had been prepared.

The article discusses the process of laying the legislative foundations for the national state of Tuvans. The 1921 decision on the establishment of a nation-state resulted in the emergence of the new legal framework for democratic development which started with the adoption of the basic law ― Constitution of 1921. The frst stage in the history of the Tuvan People’s Republic, from 1921 to 1929, was important and essential for the development of the state. During the period, the legal system was somewhat controversial. The state was headed by former offcials, noyons (‘princes’), who should have held a completely different domestic policy for the construction of socialism. This determined the coexistence of old and new standards. Evolutionary changes in social relations laid the basis for a gradual transition to an industrial society. And, most likely, it was not that dramatic for the people. Any political and social upheavals were fraught with adverse consequences. The rapid change in Tuva’s political system and social structure aggravated by disregard of the actual conditions of social development led to a distortion of the ideas of democracy. During the second phase of development, from 1929 to 1944, there was an abrupt change in the course of the party and state on the path of socialist construction. The then all-Soviet processes were fully reflected in the development policy of the Tuvan People’s Republic. In 1929, the historical 8th Congress of the Tuvan People’s Revolutionary Party was held which declared the fght against ‘right-wing deviations’ within the party and defned new social development objectives that consisted in following the socialist path. By the time, young administrators had been trained who gradually superseded all the former political leaders. The adoption of the new policy by the Central Committee of the party resulted in a transformation of the legal system. The Party of the Tuvan People’s Republic became the primary authority within the system of political institutions. Gradually, the legal framework was patterned by that of the Soviets and completely replaced in 1940. Thus, the conditions for the subsequent incorporation by the USSR had been prepared.

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