The Interaction of the Regional Government and Indigenous Peoples: the Role of the Scientific Community of Yakutia (80s – Early 90s of the 20th Century)

In the 80s of the 20th century appeared a new line of state politics about the indigoes Northern peoples. Firstly, it was connected with changes, which happened in the socio--‐economic part of traditional Northern peoples habitations regions, which sufficiently influenced and contin--‐ ue to influence their lives. These changes touched also Yakutia. By the middle of the 80s in Yakutia appeared new centers of republic production development, mineral resources exploration rushed, population grew, and railroad service was founded. Nowadays indigoes peoples of Yakutia stand before a challenge of new industrial development of their resettlement territories, which ground--‐ ings were given in the soviet period. Because of it we would like to overview forms of Soviet pow--‐ er and small indigoes peoples of the North (later SIPN) interaction in the 80s – beginning of the 90s of the 20th century.

Interaction of power, scientific society and SIPN

When analyzing the soviet state politics concerning Northern peoples and “socialistic mod--‐ el” of state and SIPN interaction in the investigating period, we can point some most effective forms of such an interaction: official ways of state governmental bodies functioning, non--‐ governmental organizations, mass media and also scientific researches and actions. Increasing of a role of scientific organizations and representatives of scientific brainpower in networking between power and SIPN in the given historical period and also opportunity of appointing problems on the both scientific and social levels became more efficient with the development of democratic free--‐ doms in the country.

A tight “union” of science and state governmental bodies took place in the USSR, though rep--‐ resentatives of power had an opportunity to ignore recommendations of a scientific society. At the same time an interconnection of power and science, on one hand, let scientific organizations to at--‐ tain support from the top echelon of a political party and the state. On the other hand, scientific researches were under a special control of the state. A special custody was taken of humanities.

Interconnections of government and scientific community became one of the current top--‐ ics in modern scientific researches. An interest was attracted mostly by the fact that in a post--‐ Soviet period in Russia not only character and direction of scientific researches changed, but also a transformation of a model of science in common took place. Study of interconnections of govern--‐ ment and science practice on different stages of historic development got in modern realties a practical relevance. A special interest in this research is paid to works, which enlighten theoretical aspects of government and science interconnections: T.D. Solovey [1, 2004], T.O.Mashkovskaya [2, 2000], V.P.Makarenko [3, 2007] and others. From these works we can get one important moment. A scientific community with weakening of soviet state gradually leaves the borders of governmen--‐ tal structures. And by the 80s of the 20th century science turned to society, now she tried not to be the part of apparatus, but become the part of society.

In the first part of the 80s state distinctly defined the demand in building relationships be--‐ tween science and government practice, what was embodied in the program “Social and econom--‐ ic development of Northern population in conditions of scientific--‐and--‐technological advance” (“Population of the North”) [1, 1988]. Development of this program became possible after ac--‐ ceptance of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Cabinet enactment from the 7th of February 1980 № 115 «Of measures for the future economic and social development of Northern peoples inhabitancy»1, which though its contradictory, is rather positively estimated by researchers. A sci--‐ entific interest concerning Northern population has increased, research works began to acceler--‐ ate, also because of funding enlargement.

Before program development a lot of effort was put in. Firstly, by Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Russian SFSR from the 21st of July 1981, in February 1982 a Regional inter--‐ departmental commission on coordination of complex socio--‐economic, biomedical and linguistic researches of problems of Northern peoples development (later CCRNP) was created. Secondly, conditions of investigations were analyzed and a scientific potential of specialists, who deal with the Northern peoples, was defined. Thirdly, scientific conferences on problems of Northern peo--‐ ples development were held and a number of material were published, including in Yakutsk in June 1983 an All--‐Union meeting “Food resources and nutrition improvement of the Far North population”. All the stages were controlled by the Council of Ministers of the Russian SFSR and CCRNP. As a result not only investigations’ directions were worked out, but also practice sugges--‐ tions, which promote improvement of ISPN living conditions, were formulated2.

A program “Northern peoples” was focused on increasing of investigation of Northern peoples development problems efficiency. As part of a program a concept of community devel--‐ opment of Northern peoples was worked up, a strategy and tactics of its development managing processes in conditions of industrial exploitation were defined, and also some practical recom--‐ mendations were developed [4, pp. 6--‐7].

At the initial stage all the researches started out from the concepts of “cut development” and “local land invasion” of the Northern peoples under formational approach; ideas which could decrease the difference in socio--‐economic development of central and northern parts of the country were needful. “Retardation” was planned to liquidate by modernization of the ISPN traditional living conditions, and at the same time trying to preserve their traditional culture. At the same time the main socio--‐economic task was announced as finishing of conversion of nomadic population to sed--‐ entary life. It was suggested to include all social and national specialties of northern ethnos. Popula--‐ tions of the North are watched as a common social object and as a subject of community develop--‐ ment, which must be investigated wholistically and of which interdisciplinarly. It was planned to pay special attention to regional component and implementation of scientific research results in life.

Plans of scientific and expedition works approved by CCRNP, included investigation of so--‐ cio--‐economic development of Northern peoples, among other those who lived in Yakutsk ASSR. It was planned to investigate all sides of their life--‐sustaining activities: socio--‐economic, professional, cultural, linguistic, biomedical and medico--‐social processes, which proceed in conditions of indus--‐ trial exploitation. Researchers of leading scientific organizations and universities of the country, who work in different branches of science but directly are engaged in investigations of Northern peoples, were involved. All in all more than 500 researchers were involved. Program originators noted insufficient supply by the skilled workers in area of social, economic and psycho--‐pedagogical problems [4, p. 217]. During ten years even these areas developed greatly.

A number of organizations in Yakutia also took part in this program, these were organiza--‐ tions, who enter the YF SD AS USSR: Institute of language, literature and history, Institute of biolo--‐ gy, Institute of economics of complex Northern natural resources exploitation; and also Yakutsk agricultural research institute, Yakutsk tuberculosis research institute, Yakutsk state university and number of alphabetical agencies3. Employees of these structures were specialists in different questions connected with live--‐sustaining activities of ISPN: development of transport system and producing power of ISPN habitation, formation of economics and culture in conditions of industrial exploitation, organization of traditional production units and traditional culture, and they also were engaged in studying of folklore and language, health and nutrition.

In those investigations scientists more and more often began to practice by collection of empir--‐ ic material sociologic methods (questionnaires and interviewing) and medical supervision. These methods asked for direct contact with subject of research. By that fact population felt attraction to themselves and their problems. For example, economics department of YF SD AS USSR together with department of Northern ethic groups of YASSR Council of Ministers only in 1981 provided socio--‐ economic investigations, which embraced habitation points of Northern peoples: Aldanski, Allayhov--‐ ski, Bulunski, Verhnekolymski, Verhoyanski, Momski, Tomponski, Olekminski, Olenekski, Oimyanski, Srednekolimski and Zhiganski regions. Common investigated population size composed 23257 peo--‐ ple4.

In summary plan of the investigation by the year 1987 a topic was included: “Economic and social development of the Northern peoples in conditions of science--‐technical progress. Preparing of a program of scientific and production experiment on the base of sovkhoz “Tomponski” YASSR”5. After collecting of a statistic information, supervision and interrogation of ethnic groups by IHP&P SD RAS it was created a program of an experiment, which idea was “on the base of strength cooperation of different sciences’ representatives and integration of science and practice to provide on example of concrete farm unit the development of a concept and main directions of economics and culture of Northern peoples and to bring them to life”6. As a result of this experi--‐ ment realization it was planned to create a really active model of farm unit, which will comprise complex decision of problem of Northern peoples development, affecting all sides of life--‐ sustaining activities. Then it was supposed to extend this model on all the farm units, which are involved in traditional activities according to specialties of each of them. During the experiment, state of things in farm units, their developments based on scientific recommendations were pro--‐ vided by YASSR Council of Ministers. Also regional governments took active part in the experi--‐ ment. For example, Tomponski district executive committee and executive committee of Tompon--‐ ski local council. CCRNP not only controlled and coordinated the experimental procedure, provid--‐ ed connections with government of YASSR and RSFSR, but also on the base of achieved results it put forward concrete suggestions for overviewing to governmental authorities. As a result of an experiment a structure model of complex farm units was created, which included: main fields (deer farming, hunting, fur--‐farming, fishing), subsidiary fields (dairy cattle husbandry, poultry breeding, horse breeding, pig breeding, vegeculture), subsidiary industrial production (meat, fish, milk processing departments; fabrication of leather and fur clothes, shoes; production of house--‐ hold articles, of souvenirs) and objects of production and social infrastructure [5, p.7].

Socio--‐economical indexes of sovkhoz “Tomponski” and the whole Tomponski region during the experiment increased7. For many times sovkhoz became the winner of all--‐union and all--‐ Russian socialistic competitions and won red challenge banners of the CPSU Central Committee, Supreme Soviet, USSR Council of Ministers and others. By the decree of USSR Supreme Soviet Pre--‐ sidium sovkhoz “Tomponski” was awarded with a medal of national cohesion. A contribution was made by the director of sovkhoz Vasily Mikhailovich Kladkin, who leaded this farm for more than 40 years. His idiocracies were ambitiousness, patience in end of purpose and also moral virtues. His was always ready to help; he was interested in workers’ problems, school education, and ques--‐ tions of children and youth sport, development of ethnic culture of evens. For all his merits he ac--‐ quainted a distinguished status of Hero of socialist labor [6, pp. 228--‐230].

Yakutsk scientists noticed some disadvantages in the concept of a program “Ethnic popula--‐ tion of the North”. Challenges of preserving of national identity of Northern peoples main compo--‐ nents and providing of the whole ethnic development weren’t set. In their turn, AS USSR Institute of ethnography outworked a concept “Ethnocultural development of Northern peoples in condi--‐ tions of science--‐technical progress for a perspective up to the year 2020”, the main attention was paid to development of preservation ways and development of traditional farm units’ fields and culture of Northern ethnic groups. A direct correlation between culture preserve and preserve of traditional farm units’ fields was pointed. In scientific works between YSC researches there was an idea that and this concept is thin--‐skinned because of aspiration to save traditional basis of national culture one--‐sidedly. Researchers considered that the process of industrial development has cardi--‐ nally changed the social and ecological environments of Northern peoples’ habitation and it was essential to search the definitive way of their development in the matter of fact8.

One of achievements in the soviet national policy is considered to be formation of national scientific brain power, which representatives later not only created written language basis of their peoples, created methodological and imaginative literature on their languages, provided re--‐ searches on scientific and social problems of the North, but also took part in social and political life. 1987 in scientific and higher educational establishments of Yakutia worked for about 20 rep--‐ resentatives of Northern peoples, 12 of which were PhDs and one DSc [7, p. 172].

Scientific researches become the basis of a dialogue between government and ISPN, one of their interaction forms and scientific conferences become the ground for that dialogue. Problems of ISPN and ways of their decision are proposed by scientists. For example, a question of “northern lan--‐ guages” spellings and alphabet improvement. This process began from the evens language, when sci--‐ entific community could pay attention of government to this problem, develop new rules and even apply them in education programs9.

Conclusion

In such a way, in the 80s of the 20th century we can watch the increasing interest of the government to Northern peoples and territories of their habitation. After adoption of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Cabinet enactment from the 7th of February 1980 № 115 “Of acts on future economic and social development of Northern peoples habitation” the scientific interest in northern peoples has increased, work on these ethnics has begun to be provided at a quickened pace, also because of enlargement of funding. A program “Northern peoples” was created, and its scientific directions received future development. With intensification of social methods’ usage, “science” became nearer to problems of ISPN, and, in point of fact, began to play the role of in--‐ termediary between state and society.