Reform of local Soviet authorities in context of political crisis of late 1980s and early 1990s (based on example of Councils of People’s Deputies in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug)

Abstract

Based on the analysis of archival sources and the discourse analysis of the social and political agenda during perestroika, the author shows an unsuccessful attempt to reform the system of Councils of People’s Deputies. The country’s leadership hoped for this modernization, planning to return self-governing principles and increase trust in the Soviet government. The country’s leadership hoped for this modernization, planning to return self-governing principles and increase trust in the Soviet government. However, the elections held in the context of the political crisis demonstrated that citizens still perceived the Councils as one of the parts of the communist regime. In the new conditions, they were compelled to compete for resources with party committees and their own executive committees, and the new decision-making centers, namely administrations, ultimately prevailed. The modernized Councils failed to take advantage of the historical chance to implement the declared slogan “All power to the Soviets!”