Soviet language policy provides rich material for the study of the
impact of policy on language use. Moreover, it offers a unique vantage
point on the tie between language and culture. While linguists and
ethnographers grapple with defining the relationship of language to
culture, or of language and culture to identity, the Soviets knew that
language is an integral and inalienable part of culture. The former
Soviet Union provides an ideal case study for examining these
relationships, in that it had one of the most deliberate language
policies of any nation state. This is not to say that it was constant or
well-conceived; in fact it was marked by contradictions, illogical
decisions, and inconsistencies. Yet it represented a conscious effort on
the part of the Communist leadership to shape both ethnic identity and
national consciousness through language. As a totalitarian state, the
USSR represents a country where language policy, however radical, could
be implemented at the will of the government. Furthermore, measures
(such as forced migrations) were undertaken that resulted in changing
population demographics, having a direct impact on what is a central
issue here: the very nature of the Soviet population. That said, it is
important to keep in mind that in the Soviet Union there was a
difference between stated policy and actual practice. There was no
guarantee that any given policy would be implemented, even when it had
been officially legislated.
