The formation of the Soviet militia in the context of daily life of the Southern province (based on the materials of the Caucasian Mineral Waters)

Introduction. The article shows the role of regional police departments in the formation of a new Soviet daily routine (Kislovodsk, Zheleznovodsk, Pyatigorsk and Yessentuki) in the early 1920s. The purpose of the study is to integrate the process of formation of the Soviet law enforcement system into the transformation of urban everyday life.

Materials and Methods. The historical and genetic method was used in the study and a historical and legal analysis was carried out. In addition, the research task itself is formulated and solved in the paradigm of new local history. The main source was office documents collected in the State Archive of the Stavropol Krai.

Analysis. The organized Soviet militia had to solve both the tasks of maintaining order and educating and rehabilitating Soviet society. Referring to the experience of the cities of the CMS made it possible to identify and study the peculiarities of the daily life of both the Soviet militia itself and the cities into whose sociocultural space the militia was integrated. The demobilization of the Red Army soldiers became a big problem, many of whom could not find themselves and chose the path of crime. The daily routine, including labor of police officers, is marked by the hardships of the post-revolutionary and post-war period. Hence the attempt to find side earnings, low professional level, lack of understanding of their functionality, negligence and even arbitrariness.

Results. The conclusions are drawn that the police and their everyday life were part of urban daily life, and how new and old phenomena of everyday life of citizens were reflected in criminal practice. 

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