The article discusses the ideological foundations and methodology of studying Stalinist repressions using archival data and literature. The authors provide an overview of the debate on the preconditions of political repression, focusing on Kazakhstan. They also analyze the works of K. Marx, F. Engels, and V.I. Lenin, which laid the doctrinal basis for political persecution and Stalin’s terror. The authors thoroughly analyze documents and materials from the archives of Kazakhstan and literature published after the establishment of the Commission for the Full Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repression. This article is the first in a series for foreign audiences, highlighting the suffering of the people of Kazakhstan during the Soviet period due to repression and collectivization from 1928-1933. The analysis demonstrates that the comprehensive and objective study of the repressions in the Soviet period has not yet been completed. Many individuals in the modern period have not fully recognized the tragedy of mass human rights violations throughout the Soviet era. Even more concerning is the attempt by some political forces to whitewash the Stalinist repressions, ostensibly to combat mythical enemies, class environments, or the alleged machinations of hostile forces from the West. There is still nostalgia for the Soviet past and the “firm hand” of Comrade Stalin, as evident from sociological surveys conducted in the post-Soviet space. This raises the question of the reasons behind such sentiments and the ideological basis of Bolshevism’s doctrines. Therefore, the issue of uncovering the “white spots” in Soviet history remains very relevant.
The article discusses the ideological foundations and methodology of studying Stalinist repressions using archival data and literature. The authors provide an overview of the debate on the preconditions of political repression, focusing on Kazakhstan. They also analyze the works of K. Marx, F. Engels, and V.I. Lenin, which laid the doctrinal basis for political persecution and Stalin's terror. The authors thoroughly analyze documents and materials from the archives of Kazakhstan and literature published after the establishment of the Commission for the Full Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repression. This article is the first in a series for foreign audiences, highlighting the suffering of the people of Kazakhstan during the Soviet period due to repression and collectivization from 1928-1933. The analysis demonstrates that the comprehensive and objective study of the repressions in the Soviet period has not yet been completed. Many individuals in the modern period have not fully recognized the tragedy of mass human rights violations throughout the Soviet era. Even more concerning is the attempt by some political forces to whitewash the Stalinist repressions, ostensibly to combat mythical enemies, class environments, or the alleged machinations of hostile forces from the West. There is still nostalgia for the Soviet past and the "firm hand" of Comrade Stalin, as evident from sociological surveys conducted in the post-Soviet space. This raises the question of the reasons behind such sentiments and the ideological basis of Bolshevism's doctrines. Therefore, the issue of uncovering the "white spots" in Soviet history remains very relevant.