RKP (b) leadership under transition to the new economic policy: central control commission and “purges” of the Bolshevik party personnel

The article studies a fairly obscure activity known as “purges” of the Bolshevik party’s personnel conducted by the leadership of the Bolsheviks’ ruling party during the transition to the New Economic policy. The partial liberalization in some areas of the country’s economy caused quite a few negative developments in the party milieu ranging from instances of abuse of power to economic crimes and criminal offences. Previously unknown archive documents are used to highlight the Bolshevik party’s role in implementing the purges among the party members working at the Bolshevik party, Soviet and penal institutions. The party member staff had to go through regular party inspections and “purges” carried out within the Soviet state’s government system at every level starting from the early 1920s. The “purges” were intended to save the Bolshevik party from “alien and corrupt contingent”. Moreover, the “purges” identified the opponents of the Soviet power and Bolshevik regime, with mass repressions following in the latter half of 1930s.