International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
10
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue05 2025
PAGE NO.
10-11
10.37547/ijhps/Volume05Issue05-03
History of The Main Stages of Development of The
Communication System in The Turkestan ASSR
Odilov Azizillo Qamardin o‘g‘li
Andijan State Technical Institute, Researcher Trainee, Andijan, Uzbekistan
Received:
14 March 2025;
Accepted:
10 April 2025;
Published:
12 May 2025
Abstract:
In this article, the communication system in the Turkestan ASSR, the history and stages of the
communication system, telegraph and post, railway and railway infrastructure, telecommunication networks and
the development of telecommunication infrastructure, the history of the formation of television and radio, mobile
communication and the Internet system are discussed in this article.
Keywords:
Communication system, telegraph, post, railway, telecommunication, television, radio, mobile
communication.
Introduction:
Historically,
the
communication
system
—
whether through automobiles, railways,
airways, postal or telegraph connections
—
has been
one of the key factors affecting the standard of living of
the population. At the same time, this sector plays a
vital role in meeting human needs and creating
conditions for development. The level of development
and efficiency of service institutions such as postal and
telegraph communications is considered one of the
main indicators of the socio-orientation of the
economy and the availability of favorable conditions for
satisfying human needs.
In industrially developed countries, sectors such as
railways, airways, as well as postal and telegraph
communications are equipped with the latest
technologies and are regularly updated, which is not
without reason. The Turkestan Autonomous Soviet
Socialist Republic (Turkestan ASSR, 1918
–
1924), and
later the Uzbek SSR formed as a result of the national
territorial delimitation by Soviet rule (1925
–
1991),
experienced several stages in the creation and
development of new means of communication. The
development of this system was closely linked to the
economic, political, and social conditions of that time.
The collapse of imperialist Tsarist Russia, the forcible
establishment of the Soviet system by the Bolsheviks,
and the global spread of socialism brought many
changes to the region.
The evolution of the communication system in the
Turkestan ASSR and later in the Uzbek SSR can be
conditionally divided into the following stages:
1.
Communication system in the pre-Soviet era in
Turkestan (late 19th century
–
1917)
2.
Changes in the communication system after
the formation of the Turkestan ASSR (1918
–
1924)
3.
Expansion of the communication system in the
first decades of the Uzbek SSR (1925
–
1945)
4.
Development of communication after World
War II (1946
–
1960)
5.
Communication achievements and challenges
during the period of stagnation in the Soviet Union
(1970
–
1980)
In this article, we briefly focus on the communication
systems in the Turkestan ASSR and their specific stages
of development.
Stage 1: Communication before the Soviet power in
Turkestan (late 19th century-1917)
During this period,
the communication system in the Turkestan region
developed as a part of the Russian Empire.
International and local communication systems aimed
at solving various logistical and administrative issues.
Railway networks, postal services, telegraph, and
telephone lines were gradually introduced by the
Tsarist administration based on their interests.
However, inter-provincial communication was not very
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
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International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
effective. Telegraph and postal communications were
introduced at the end of the 19th century, following the
occupation of the region by the Russian Empire.
Initially, these systems operated only in major cities
and economic centers, leaving out rural areas.
Railway communication began in the 1870s
–
1880s,
with the first railway line reaching Samarkand via
Ashgabat in 1888. The railway extended to Andijan in
1899, and by 1905, it connected Orenburg to Tashkent.
By the time it reached Andijan, the length of the
Turkestan railway system had exceeded 3,000
kilometers [1. pp. 55
–
56]. This improved the efficiency
of communication but still did not cover large parts of
the region.
The Tsarist administration funded the construction of
some railways from the state treasury (e.g., Central
Asia: 1880
–
1898, Tashkent-Orenburg: 1901
–
1906),
while others (e.g., Fergana: 1911
–
1916, Bukhara:
1914
–
1916, Semirechye: 1912
–
1917) were built by
joint-stock companies [2. p. 239]. The development of
postal, telegraph, and telephone services also began
during this period.
Stage 2: Development during the Turkestan ASSR
(1918
–
1924)
After the establishment of the Turkestan ASSR, the
Soviet
government
prioritized the
systematic
development of the communication sector, again
based on its interests. New technologies and
infrastructure facilities were built, contributing to the
efficiency of the national economy.
Telecommunication networks were transferred to
Bolshevik control. By the decree of the Turkestan
Regional Council of People's Commissars (XKS) dated
November 23, 1917, the People's Commissariat for
Posts and Telegraphs was established, and all postal
and telephone offices in Turkestan were placed under
its control [3. pp. 4
–
7]. Starting from 1918, all postal
and telephone branches in cities like Tashkent,
Samarkand, Kokand, Verniy, and Andijan were
nationalized [4. pp. 19
–
21].
The railway infrastructure was also expanded,
establishing strategic connections with Russia. In the
1920s, telephone and telegraph services advanced
further, especially in cities and along key transportation
routes. The postal service became more centralized [5.
pp. 21
–
22].
On September 9, 1922, by decision of the Turkestan
ASSR XKS, the Commissariat of Posts and Telegraphs
was reorganized into the Central Asian Communication
Department [6. pp. 21
–
22], which became the central
governing div of all communications in Central Asia.
CONCLUSION
The key stages in the history of the Turkestan ASSR’s
communication system were directly related to the
political and economic development of the region.
While Tsarist Russia implemented regionally focused
systems, the Soviet period introduced a centralized and
modernized network. After gaining independence,
Uzbekistan’s communication system became more
diversified and began to focus on new technologies and
international integration.
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