-

Abstract

The article deals with the political aspects of the economic reform on the development of virgin and fallow lands in the 50-60s of the XX century on the materials of the northern districts of Kazakhstan that have entered the virgin region. The actuality is due to the poor development of this scientific subject, the need to comprehend it based on new archival sources that were not previously used
in scientific circulation. The source database of the study was documented by the declassified funds of the archives of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the funds of the state archives of cities and regions of Northern Kazakhstan. On the basis of a systematic analysis of the sources and literature, the authors formulated and substantiated the concept of virgin land as the largest
project of the Soviet state aimed at solving not only economic but also political tasks of the state at a new stage of historical development. The project was implemented without proper scientific justification of its expected economic efficiency, without taking into account its ecological rationality and social efficiency. Virgin land contributed to the solution of an important state task -
ensuring social and political stability in the country in the post-war period, overcoming the consequences of the Stalinist deportation of peoples. Slogans of virgin land, the nature of administrative decisions taken, cultural and mass work and broad ideological propaganda testify to the politicization of the reform. Virgin land became a symbol of the Khrushchev era, on the slogans and ideas of virgin land a new generation grew up. The urban project of Tselinograd city the administrative and organizing center of the virgin lands of Kazakhstan can be regarded as an integral part of the political strategy of the Soviet state for the development of virgin land. The article is written within the framework of the project "Social processes in the northern regions of Kazakhstan in the virgin years and their impact on the socio-cultural environment in the region."Grant of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan on priority: "Intellectual potential of the country" (agreement No. 242 of 06.03.2017).