Socialist Party of Kazakhstan and the Attempts of the Inheritance of the Property of the Former Communist Party (Basing on the Materials of the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan)

Abstract

Using materials from the Archives of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, one aspect in the formation of a multiparty system in the Kazakh SSR/Republic of Kazakhstan during the collapse of CPSU’s monopoly position is studied. The creation of the Socialist Party, which for a short time became the political and ideological successor of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan after its dissolution in September 1991 is one focus. One key issue in the formation of a new party was material and financial support. The SP, as the successor to the CPK, expected to receive a portion of the latter’s property, and they regularly appealed to state bodies and senior officials of the country. In the first months after the creation of the Socialist Party, its leaders insisted on receiving all the financial and tangible property of the Communist Party. Later the circle of requirements narrowed, confining itself to requests not to return, but to assist in receiving only a part of the property. However, in conditions of partial decentralization of management, and a growing crisis in economy and society, the property of the CPK, despite the Decree of the President of the Kazakh SSR on its nationalization, remained unaccounted for over a long time. This in turn did not allow the government to promptly resolve the issue of allocating part of the property for the Socialist Party of Kazakhstan. In the absence of funding sources, including the impossibility, despite the officially confirmed status of the “successor” to receive part of the financial and material resources, the activities of the SCK for several years almost ceased.