Federalism and Segmented Communication in the USSR

Abstract

Federalism in Soviet state structure, granting nominal equality in political rights to major nationality groups residing in defined ethnoterritories, perserves to some extent, the cultural identity of communities defined by common national or religious heritage. Centralism in party ideological work seeks to integrate a heterogeneous population by inculcating loyalty to a transcendent Soviet identity and to prevent mobilization along nationality (or other) social cleavages. Party personnel policy gives mobility opportunities to national elites within, but rarely across, national republics, while reinforcing Moscow's domination of party and government relations with individual republics. All publicly disseminated information is subject to party ideological controls, but communications channels based in federal ethnoterritories, using native-language media, foreign radio broadcasts, and word-of-mouth channels tend to strengthen the identity of nationality and religious groups. Religious ties and contacts with members of the nationality abroad also counteract ideological centralization. However, segmented communication helps in turn to reinforce political centralism and Russian dominance.