Erk (Party)
Encyclopedia
ERK was a Muslim
socialist party active in Bashkiria, Bukhara
and Turkestan
from 1919 to 1926.
The party was established when two groups, simultaneously but independently of each other, decided to organize themselves into independent political formations in the Third International. The original groups based in Tashkent
and Temjassovo, Bashkiria, were supplemented by activists from Bukhara
and Kirghizia following a chance meeting in Moscow
in November 1919. They decided to draw up a 12 point programme. Despite obvious signs that there organizing as a separate party would be unacceptable to the Comintern
, they nevertheless met in June 1920, and decided to proceed, taking no account of the programme and regulations of the Third International.
During the Congress of the Peoples of the East
, their organizational committee met, including Validov and Dzhanizakov. A new programme of 27 points was hammered out, and Abdulhamid Arifov - at that time the military commissar of the Bukharan People's Soviet Republic
- replaced Dzhanizakov on the committee.
The committee met again 7 - 10 January 1921, this time in Bukhara, when they changed the name to Turkestan Sosialistlar Tüdesi (Circle of Turkestan Socialists) abbreviated to Tüde. In April that same year, with representatives from Khorezm, the programme was reduced to 9 points. In 1926 the name was changed to Sosialist ERK Firkasi (Socialist Party of Turkestan ERK).
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
socialist party active in Bashkiria, Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
and Turkestan
Turkestan
Turkestan, spelled also as Turkistan, literally means "Land of the Turks".The term Turkestan is of Persian origin and has never been in use to denote a single nation. It was first used by Persian geographers to describe the place of Turkish peoples...
from 1919 to 1926.
The party was established when two groups, simultaneously but independently of each other, decided to organize themselves into independent political formations in the Third International. The original groups based in Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
and Temjassovo, Bashkiria, were supplemented by activists from Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
and Kirghizia following a chance meeting in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in November 1919. They decided to draw up a 12 point programme. Despite obvious signs that there organizing as a separate party would be unacceptable to the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
, they nevertheless met in June 1920, and decided to proceed, taking no account of the programme and regulations of the Third International.
During the Congress of the Peoples of the East
Congress of the Peoples of the East
The Congress of the Peoples of the East was held in Baku in September 1920. The congress was first planned by Mirsäyet Soltanğäliev and the National Communists. However Stalin prevented Soltanğäliev from attending the congress, fearing that he would help consolidate his wing of the communist...
, their organizational committee met, including Validov and Dzhanizakov. A new programme of 27 points was hammered out, and Abdulhamid Arifov - at that time the military commissar of the Bukharan People's Soviet Republic
Bukharan People's Soviet Republic
The Bukharan People's Soviet Republic was a short-lived Soviet state which governed the former Emirate of Bukhara during the period immediately following the Russian Revolution from 1920-1925. In 1924 its name was changed to the Bukharan Soviet Socialist Republic...
- replaced Dzhanizakov on the committee.
The committee met again 7 - 10 January 1921, this time in Bukhara, when they changed the name to Turkestan Sosialistlar Tüdesi (Circle of Turkestan Socialists) abbreviated to Tüde. In April that same year, with representatives from Khorezm, the programme was reduced to 9 points. In 1926 the name was changed to Sosialist ERK Firkasi (Socialist Party of Turkestan ERK).