THE SOVIET HISTORIOGRAPHY AND THE QUESTION OF KAZAKHSTAN’S HISTORY

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THE SOVIET HISTORIOGRAPHY AND
private property. 135 In another section of the book, it is indicated that
the families of those who helped to suppress Kenesary’s and similar
uprisings, to be exempted from taxes. 136
Research of Kenesary Kasymuly’s activities have increased and
become one of the important issues after the independence. Kenesary
Kasymuly was now regarded as a Khan, elected by three jüzes and a
hero who fought against the Russian colonization. Kenesary’s features
as a military leader and a politician were highlighted. It was emphasized
that Kenesary was respected and loved by the people, because
he struggled for the people. 137
Nevertheless, Januzak Kasymbayev, Kazak historian, considered that
Kenesary movement could not reach the masses in an absolute level,
as there were the Kazak clan leaders and administrators that believed
and called the people to live in peace and harmony under the Russian
domination. 138 Whereas, Ermukhan Bekmakhanov mentioned that the
masses from all 3 jüzes of the Kazaks supported Kenesary’s leadership
and participated in his revolt, even if not all the time and in the
same amounts. 139 Although Bekmakhanov had to edit his discourse of
Kenesary movements after the harsh criticisms, concentration camp
sentence, and the realities of his time, the author’s evaluations shed
light on the Kazak historians after the independence. Furthermore,
such historians of independent Kazakstan as Edige Valikhanov, Sattar
Mazhitov and Vil’ Galiyev have written this topic in detail, with new
perspectives and methods, and their works constitute significance.
Sattar Mazhitov, in his article titled “Kenesary Kasymov i Ermukhan
Bekmakhanov v kontekste ideologicheskoi arkhitektoniki totalitarizma”
(Kenesary Kasymov and Ermukhan Bekmakhanov in the Context of
Ideological Architectonics of Totalitarianism), revealed interesting similarities
of the fates of Bekmakhanov and Kenesary at various periods.
In addition, Mazhitov stated that while investigating Kenesary Kasymuly
topic, Ermukhan Bekmakhanov’s stenographies of the defenses
of the master’s and doctoral theses, held in Moscow, should be used
as the sources. Regarding the discussion about Kenesary issue and
135 Kazak SSR Tarihy (History of Kazak SSR). Almaty, 1982, vol. 3, pp. 174-180.
136 Kazak SSR Tarihy (History of Kazak SSR). Almaty, 1982, vol. 3, p. 238.
137 Kazakstan Tarihy köne zamannan büginge deyin (Ocherkter) (History of Kazakstan from
Ancient Times till Now). Almaty, 1994, pp. 225-231.
138 Kasymbayev, Januzak. Ob osvoboditel’nom haraktere vosstaniya 1837-1847 gg. (On
Liberational Character of the Revolt of 1837-1847). Almaty, 1993, p. 107.
139 Bekmakhanov, Ermukhan. Vosstanie Hana Kenesary (1837-1847) (Kenesary Khan’s Revolt,
1837-1847). Almaty, 1992, p. 12.