BEGINNING: CREATIVITY AND PARTNER CAREER (1945 - 1950)

BEGINNING: CREATIVITY AND PARTNER CAREER (1945 - 1950). THE BEGINNING OF POLITICAL ACTIVITY

Sharaf Rashidov's political career developed rapidly – it was difficult to ignore the promising editor.

IN 1949, AT THE 10TH CONGRESS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF UZBEKISTAN, SHARAF RASHIDOV'S IDEOLOGICAL OPPONENTS ON THE ISSUE OF COSMOPOLITANISM RAISED THE QUESTION OF HIS REMOVAL FROM THE POST OF EDITOR. TWO SPEAKERS AT ONCE MADE A DEVASTATING SPEECH AGAINST HIM, ACCUSING HIM OF IDEOLOGICAL MISTAKES.

Sharaf Rashidov, like his friend Alexander Fadeev earlier, was reproached for belonging to a group of "nationalists" – those who defended the identity of cultures. The issue raised at the congress was closely related to Stalin's policy towards the excesses of the intellectual stratum of society. At that time, Uzbek artists were expected to develop Uzbek literature and art in close contact with Russian art, but without an emphasis on Western ideas.

Only the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan, Usman Yusupov, could resolve the issue in favour of Sharaf Rashidov, but even then he was going through a difficult time in his work.
In 1947, Uzbekistan did not fulfil the plan for the delivery of cotton. The state plan was fulfilled by only 76.4%. The reason, of course, was the extremely unfavourable weather conditions. However, these difficulties did not interest the leaders of the USSR, they demanded the implementation of the plan at any cost. Yusupov was formally reprimanded. He would be saved from the impending disaster by Stalin’s personal intervention on the next day.

STALIN TOLD HIM: "YOU WERE DISCUSSED AND PUNISHED, BUT YOU ARE A TALENTED PERSON, A GREAT FRIEND OF YOUR PEOPLE. WE BELIEVE IN YOU."

the "golden age" for the country

In 1948, Uzbekistan made great efforts and managed to provide 1,519,000 metric tonnes of raw cotton to the state, which exceeded the previous year's figure by 19,000 tonnes. At the same time, compared with the pre-war period, the industrial sector of the republic grew by more than 40%, and labour productivity by 62%. Later, these years will be referred to as the "golden age" for the country. However, the situation in Uzbekistan increasingly worried Moscow – they believed that the republican leadership was not coping with its duties.

Despite his difficult personal situation, Usman Yusupov answered during a break at the congress Sharaf Rashidov's question "Should I resign from the position of editor myself?" in the negative, gave the editor the floor and supported him during his speech.

SHARAF RASHIDOV STILL HAD TO RESIGN FROM THE POST OF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF. IN JULY 1949, THE 3RD PLENUM OF THE WRITERS' UNION OF UZBEKISTAN ELECTED HIM CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.

When Sharaf Rashidov came to Moscow in the same year to participate in the First All-Union Conference of Peace Supporters, Alexander Fadeev toasted him as the head of the delegation from Uzbekistan: "I am proud of my brother Rashidov, a party worker, a talented artist of the word".

next stage