Soviet?

[Chapter 24]

Does anyone here know if citizens of the Soviet Union during its existence identified themselves nationally as "Soviets" or the specific republic they were born in? For example, someone born in Moscow, Russian SFSR and someone from Yerevan, Armenian SSR are both "Soviets", but would the citizen of Moscow identify himself as Russian and the latter as Armenian?
To clear confusion, I'm not referring if someone ethnically is a Russian or Armenian, but if someone born in the Armenian SSR actually referred to themselves as a Soviet or an Armenian?

[Lamanov]

Everyone identified themselves by their actual, born nationality.

The "Soviet nation" concept was championed by Brezhnev, but it didn't quite work out.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

It wasn't a cut and dry thing, where everyone acted uniformly.. and still isn't today. For example, I've known people who were "ethnically Russian" but born and raised in Uzbekistan who refer to themselves as Uzbek. I've also known people who "ethnically Kazakh" but born and raised in Russia who refer to themselves as Kazakh.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Everyone identified themselves by their actual, born nationality.

The "Soviet nation" concept was championed by Brezhnev, but it didn't quite work out.

One of the few progressive things to come from the Brezhnevites (gee, I wonder what "anti-revisionists" on this board would think about the "Soviet nation" concept :glare: )...

[Lamanov]

Jacob, inventing a national identity is not progressive.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Jacob, inventing a national identity is not progressive.

So, by your standards, Lenin's policy towards Central Asia (creating at least one national identity there) wasn't progressive, either? :confused:

[Lamanov]

What you said, yes.

Edit: In order not to be trapped in totally insignificant discussion, I'll note how this question cannot be reduced to Lenin's eastern politics.

[ComradeOm]

Jacob, inventing a national identity is not progressive.Inventing a transnational identity undoubtedly is