The Baku Congress of the Peoples of the East and Its Historical Meaning

This chapter examines the historical signi cance of the Baku Congress of the Peoples of the East in an attempt to understand its legacy in both short- and long-term contexts including the meaning of its rediscovery in historiography. While focusing on the debates that unfolded before and during the Congress, the chapter highlights the Bolshevik formulations around two key issues: the peasantry and the “Muslim question,” which diverged from the traditional European Marxist agenda. Throughout the paper the Congress is presented as a critical site for understanding the early Soviet approach to colonialism and Russia’s evolving relations with the broader “East,” not just geographically, but ideologically. The Congress fostered temporary alliances with anti-imperialist nationalist movements, establishing a platform for negotiations with these forces. As shown in the paper, a prominent demand for inclusion from the East was also articulated. The partition of the Ottoman Empire following World War I is examined as a pivotal issue, with different Turkish factions, including communists, seeking alliances and in uence. The study delves into the “women of the East” question, offering new insights into the contributions of Naciye Hanım to the Congress, whose speech has been widely cited in the literature yet remained understudied. Despite the Congress’s short-lived effects, the chapter underscores its long-term legacy in debates around socialism, national self-determination, anti-imperialism, and intellectual projects like the Communist University of the Toilers of the East (KUTV).