Commonly Used Turkic Language in the Declaration and Treaty on the Formation of the USSR

Abstract

In the article, the author draws parallels between the content of the union treaty on the formation of the USSR and the Soviet language policy of the 1920-1930s. In particular, the “commonly used” Turkic language mentioned in the treaty is considered. The author examines it in the context of the social movement proclaimed by I. Gasprinsky in the late 19th - early 20th centuries for the unity of the Turkic Muslim peoples in their movement towards progress. The pioneers in the development and introduction of the Latin alphabet were representatives of the Azerbaijan SSR, who were among the first to propose such projects of the alphabet reform. Its important element was the unification of the alphabet. In this regard, the author considers the projects for creating a single unified alphabet for the Turkic peoples of the USSR; it was the Azerbaijani version of the Latinized alphabet that was supposed to be the basis for it. This situation gave the leaders of Soviet Azerbaijan the opportunity to lead the process of cultural transformation among the Turkic peoples of the USSR. The article also considers the organizational efforts of the initiators of the idea of latinization to create a unified structure for managing the process of latinization in the USSR, as well as some aspects of their struggle with supporters of a different direction of cultural reforms among the Turks who proposed simplifying the Arabic alphabet.