Robert Lewis: Geographic and Demographic Bases of Nationalism

Extract

Rather than stress policy to explain the geographic and ethnic bases of nationalism in the USSR, my emphasis will be on the universal features of these processes, or what we can learn about these important aspects of nationalism from comparative investigation: logic should compel one to demonstrate that the processes under investigation are not universal before one accepts a unique approach to the study of a region, country, or nation. Clearly, not all societal processes in the USSR are universal. The centrally planned economy is directed by policy, which, of course, affects geography, demography, and nationalism indirectly, and the unique aspects of Soviet society and history also affect these processes. However, empirical research indicates that there is a considerable universality in demographic, geographic, and ethnic processes in the USSR. Marxist-Leninist nationality policy has not been very effective, largely because such processes are difficult to control in any society and are not well-understood in the USSR.