Myths of the Soviet Period and Textbooks of Georgian History (Coverage of Stalin’s Role in Establishing the Soviet Regime in Georgia)

Abstract

The establishment of democratic institutions and procedures in modern Georgia is hampered by the political myths remained from the Soviet period and nowadays stimulated by certain forces, the myths about Stalin take one of the main places among them.

History textbooks play a great role in destroying myths about Stalin. New generations of people are first and foremost acquainted with history through textbooks. This paper discusses how Stalin’s role in the Sovietization of Georgia is shown in history textbooks ofGeorgia(for both schools and colleges).

Research has shown that the post-Soviet textbooks of Georgian history correctly present the Russian aggression againstGeorgiain 1921 and its consequences. However, not all textbooks state the role of Stalin in this matter, which to some extent contributes to the preservation of the myths about the Leader. As for the textbooks for students of higher education in recent years, it can be said that the role of Stalin and Orjonikidze in the case of the Sovietization of Georgia is clear.