The formation of bodies of power and self-government in the Kuban region during the revolutionary changes of 1917

Abstract

The present article studies the emergence of institutions of government and autonomy in the Kuban region during the revolutionary transformations of 1917. In the Kuban region, this process diff ered from the development of similar institutions in other provinces of the Russian Empire; these diff erences resulted from the peculiarities of colonization and from the social structure of the region’s population, as well as from the pre-revolutionary management of the region. As the authors demonstrate, the system of government and self-administration in the region encompassed all social estates, in line with post-February democratic processes. The article analyzes the reasons for the failure of this system. The authors identify two periods. Between March 1917 and July 1917, the establishment of governmental bodies and bodies of self-administration was in line with postFebruary democratic processes and aimed at the formation of a more democratic system of regional and local government. The second period, which began in July 1917, was of counter-revolutionary nature; the authorities seized the bodies of Cossack self-government. The abolition of land committees, the closure of the oblast’ council and executive committee, the restriction of the activities of left parties, the elimination of civil committees and the transfer of all power to the Kuban Military government left no legal room for considering the interests of all classes. By the autumn of 1917, the system of governance formed in the Kuban region was not aimed at achieving social harmony and peace but formed the basis for acute social confl ict.

Keywords

• highlanders
• civic committee
• land committee
• cossacks
• the kuban host government
• kuban legislative rada