Political & Administrative Divisions - The Caucasus Historical Case

The republics of the Caucasus have "inherited" the political-administrative division that was formed during Soviet times. This factor is of great importance for understanding the political, social, cultural and economic developments of South as well as North Caucasus in the post-soviet period. The administrative borders established - and frequently changed - in the Soviet era, and the different political statuses given to the entities, have influenced post Soviet state- and nation building processes. Rights to territory and claims for self-determination have been made by reference to the borders created in the Soviet period. Refusal to change established borders are likewise justified by reference to them. Attempts to create national "we"s in the newly independent states emerging after the dissolution of the Soviet Union are affected by them and they influence on the possibilities to build functional state structures in these entities. The Caucasus region is the most conflict ridden part of the former Soviet Union. To understand why this is so, a good starting point is to study the political-administrative division inherited by the region from the Soviet past.

Union republics (SSR=Soviet Socialist Republic). The in all 15 union republics were first order members of the USSR. They had their own governments, parliaments (Supreme Soviets), constitutions and other state attributes. They also (formally) had the right to secede from the USSR.

Autonomous republics (ASSR=Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic). These were second order entities within the USSR administrative hierarchy. ASSR had constitutions of their own, parliaments and governments, but juridically they were subordinated to union republics.



Autonomous oblasts (AO=Autonomous Oblast)). These entities had limited autonomy within a union republic.



Even lower in the hierarchy were "autonomous okgrugs", but they were mostly found in the north of RSFSR.

The Soviet Union map:

Russian Federation:

In the first decade of the Soviet period the political-administrative map looked somewhat differently. The South Caucasian region formed the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

Next after Russia (RSFSR) the highest rate of autonomies were accorded Soviet South Caucasus. Out of the in all twenty autonomous republics established within the USSR, sixteen were located on the territory of Russia, three in the South Caucasus. Out of the in all eight autonomous regions within USSR, five were located within RSFSR, two in the South Caucasus. Four of RSFSR’s autonomous republics and two of her autonomous regions were located in the North Caucasus. All of them were established by decree by the central executive organs of power in the Kremlin at the beginning of the 1920‘s, as were the autonomies established in the South Caucasus. (Almost all autonomous entities within the USSR were established by decree). Central Asia received only a small number of autonomies: Karakalpakia and Nagorno-Badakhshan.

The status of the autonomous entities in North Caucasus were frequently changed. To begin with all of them, except Dagestan, were established as administrative entities within a joint Autonomous Soviet Socialist Mountain Republic -established by decree in January 1921. As one entity after the other were founded as separate autonomies, the Mountain Republic gradually eroded and was finally dissolved (also by decree) in 1924.

South Caucasus

Abkhazia was established as an autonomous republic within Georgia SSR in 1921. In 1922 it was included on a treaty basis with Georgia within the Trans Caucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (which existed until 1936). In 1931 the relations between Georgia and Abkhasia were redefined and Abkhazia from now on existed as an autonomous republic within Georgia without any treaty based relations. In 1992 Abkhasia declared independence. While Russia in 2008 recognized Abkhazia as an independent state it is still considered a part of Georgia by the wider international community.

Adjaria was founded as an autonomous republic within Georgia SSR in 1921.

South Ossetia was established as an autonomous region within Georgia SSR in 1922. In 1989 the local authorities (Supreme Soviet) upgraded the status of the region to an autonomous republic. The following year Georgia annuled the autonomous status of South Ossetia. In 1992 South Ossetia declared independence. While Russia in 2008 recognized South Ossetia as an independent state it is still considered a part of Georgia by the wider international community.

Nagorno-Karabakh was founded as an autonomous region within Azerbaijan SSR in 1923. In 1991 Nagorno-Karabakh declared itself a republic directly under the Soviet Union and shortly after proclaimed an independent Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan annulled the autonomous status of Nagorno-Karabakhs in late 1991.

Nakhichevan was founded as an autonomous republic within Azerbaijan SSR in 1924.

In connection with the USSR dissolution only Adjaria and Nakhichevan did not put forward claims of radical change in status of their autonomies.

North Caucasus

Adygeya was founded as an autonomous oblast within RSFSR in 1922. It was subordinated to the South Russian administrative region Krasnodar Kray. At the end of perestroika, in 1990, the local authorities (Supreme Soviet) in Adygej upgraded the status of the autonomous region into an autonomous republic. In 1992 Adygeya signed the Russian Federation Treaty independently of Krasnodar Kray, as the Republic of Adygeya. The former autonomous region was defined as a republic and a subject of the Russian Federation in the 1993 Russian Constitution.

Dagestan was founded as an autonomous republic within RSFSR in 1921. In 1991 the local authorities adopted a declaration of sovereignty removing the epithet “autonomous” from the official designation of the republic. In 1992 Dagestan signed the Russian Federation Treaty as the Republic of Dagestan. It was defined as a republic and subject of the Russian Federation in the 1993 Russian Constitution

Chechnya was founded as an autonomous region within RSFSR in 1922. An Ingush autonomous region was founded in 1924. In 1934 the two autonomous entities were combined into a Checheno-Ingush autonomous region. In 1936 this entity was upgraded into an autonomous republic. In 1944 the Checheno-Ingush autonomous republic was dissolved and the entire Checheno-Ingush population deported to Central Asia. The Checheno-Ingush autonomous republic was restored in 1957. In 1990 the Supreme Soviet of the Checheno-Ingush autonomous republic adopted a declaration of sovereignty, removing the epithet autonomous from its official designation. A national Chechen movement claimed full independence for the Chechen part of the autonomous republic. The Ingushs voted for a separate republic within Russia in November 1991. A combined Checheno-Ingush autonomous republic formally existed until June 1992, when the Russian Supreme Soviet adopted a law on the establishment of a separate Ingush republic. Chechnya refused to sign the Federation Treaty of March 1992. Ingushetia was not among the signatories (it didn’t exist as a separate entity yet). Both Chechnya and Ingushetia were defined as republics and subjects of the Russian Federation in the 1993 Russian Constitution.

Kabardino-Balkaria was founded as an autonomous region within RSFSR in 1922. In 1936 it was upgraded to an autonomous republic. (Separate Kabardin and Balkar entities had existed within the Socialist Autonomous Mountain Republic). In 1944 the Balkars were deported to Central Asia and the Balkar part of the combined autonomous republic was dissolved. At the end of perestroika a Balkar national movement demanded the establishment of a separate Balkar republic within the Russian Federation. But in 1992 Kabardino-Balkaria signed the Russian Federation Treaty undivided, as the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. Defined as a republic and subject of the Russian Federation in the Russian 1993 Constitution.

Karachaevo-Cherkessia was establish as an autonomous region within RSFSR in 1922. It was subordinated to the South Russian region Stavropol Kray. In 1926 the combined Karachai-Cherkess autonomous region was split into two separate entities (as they had been within the Mountain Republic). In 1928 the split entity was recombined. In 1944 the Karachais were deported to Central Asia and the Karachai part of the autonomous region was dissolved. In 1957 the Karachai-Cherkess autonomous region was restored. At the end of perestroika a Karachaj national movement demanded the establishment of a separate Karachaj republic. However the Supreme Soviet of Karachevo-Cherkessia adopted a declaration of sovereignty, upgrading its status to that of a union republic. In 1992 Karachaevo Cherkessia signed the Russian Federation Treaty as Karachaevo-Cherkess Soviet Socialist Republic. It was defined as a republic and subject of the Russian Federation in the 1993 Russian Constitution.

North Ossetia was founded as an autonomous oblast in 1924 and was upgraded to an autonomous republic in 1936. The local authorities adopted a declaration of sovereignty in 1990 and signed the Russian Federation Treaty in 1992 as the North Ossetian Soviet Socialist Republic. Defined as a republic and subject of the Russian Federation in the 1993 Russian Constitution.