Conducting the All-Russian Population Census of 1920 in Malaya Bashkiria

In the context of the Civil War and the severe socio-economic crisis that gripped the country, the country’s leadership decided to conduct the fi rst general census of the population of the RСFSR, which was necessary for the implementation of further reforms. The start of the census was scheduled for August 28, 1920. Due to ongoing military confl icts, the census was of a local nature. The author reveals the conditions and factors involved in conducting the census in Malaya Bashkiria, such as: insuffi cient and untimely provision of material resources to regional statistical offi ces, the poor performance of the postal, telegraph, and transport services, a shortage of qualifi ed personnel, the frequent inability, and sometimes unwillingness, of local Soviet authorities to provide support and assistance to census takers, the dissatisfaction of the peasantry during the period of food procurement with the detailed collection of information on the economic activities of each household, as well as the widespread dissemination of rumors and speculations among the people. Nevertheless, thanks to the dedicated work of the census takers, the event was completed, and the results were sent to the Central Statistical Offi ce in Moscow. However, the conditions of data collection, the long processing of its results (until 1925), and changes in the economic situation and the geographical boundaries of the republics and regions led to the rapid loss of relevance of the results obtained. The 1920 census refl ected the era in which it was conducted. The collected data, as well as the surviving primary sources of the statistical survey, represent practically the only documentary source showing the population size, the state of industry, and the situation of the peasantry during the most severe crisis of the 20th century.