Slavic Studies Unique Collections: NEP Rare Editions

The NEP Rare Editions from BAN (Biblioteka Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Sankt Peterburg/ Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg) is a unique microfiche collection created by Norman Ross Publishing (ProQuest Information and Learning). The collection contains 298 titles (consisting of 558 microfiches) relating to the NEP (Novaia Ekonomicheskaia Politika/ New Economic Plan) period of Soviet History (1921-1928). All the editions originally were classified as restricted, and only recently have become available to the public. The collection includes many important economic and political treatises by such political economists and analysts as Alekei Rykov, Grigorii Sokol’nikov, Vladimir Miliutin and Iakov Iakovlev.

The NEP was established in 1921 in the former Soviet Union, which created a mixed state and market controlled economy.* Although state control prevailed over industry, --small private enterprises including private farms were allowed to flourish.  At the same time, the Soviet government allowed for greater cultural activity and autonomy. The union republics were encouraged to promote and cultivate their national cultures. For example, in Ukraine and in Belarus, the local administrators openly encouraged the policies of Ukrainization and Belarusianization respectively, in order to promote their national languages in the fields of education, administration and business.

This collection is available to faculty, students and researchers on the main floor of the Elizabeth Dafoe Library’s Microforms area (Call number: HC 335.2 N458 2001 MFiche Box 1-2). The printed guide to this collection is available separately, and is housed in the Slavic Collection’s Reference section. (Call # Slav HC 335.2 N458 2001 MFiche Guide). For further assistance, please contact the staff of the Slavic Collection.

*Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Ed.  Volodymyr Kubijovyc. Toronto: Published for the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, 1984.