1.3 Nonconformity from the 1950s

Question 1

Culture during Stalin’s last years (4)

Answer 1

• some changes of emphasis in cultural policy
• right after WW2, gov was prepared to allow artists and writers greater freedom
• however, signs of freedom quickly dispelled as elements of western culture were condemnes in a camagne
• in 1946, a campaign was launched to remove all bourgeois culture from the west

Question 2

What was the impact of de-Stalinisation on culture? (3)

Answer 2

• Krushchev’s de-stalinisation policy after 1957, brought greater hope for those artists and writers who wished to express themselves freely
• Krushchev allowed works to be published that had previoussly been banned
• writers began to explore new themes such as spiritual concerns, the bleakness of rural life and the problems of adultery, divorce and alcohol abuse

Question 3

what effect did the non-comformity during the de-Stalinisation programme have on youth culture? (4)

Answer 3

• by late 1950s, the youth was tired of the repetitive themes of official cultural output and became influenced by music tastes from the west
• groups developed that listened to pop and rock n roll music
• these groups were labelled stilvagi by the authorities
• by 1955, this music was being broadcast into the USSR by the radio station Voice of America

Question 4

Nonconformity during Brezhnev’s years (3)

Answer 4

• did not see a return to the strict applications of Socialist realism of Stalin’s years, but still less was acceptable
• made it easier for many artists because there was more clarity over what was permissable
• official culture continued to focus on propaganda and the achievements of socialism and majority of population found this style better

Question 5

Specific aspects of nonconformity during the Brezhnev years

Answer 5

• by the 1970s, soviet culture was more conservative and artists and writers were more likely to get in trouble for sexual themes than for political ones
• the derevenshchiki school of village prose highighted the value of simple rural life, but where often romanticised and included a longing for a lost world of the past
• russian nationalism received some encouragement from gov, but writers who wrote about the theme, alienated non-Russians often came close to criticising the Soviet Union
• increasing influence of popular music from the west

Question 6

the result of nonconformity (4)

Answer 6

• by the early 1980s, nonconformity had continued to cause government irritation
• artists and writers continued to use a range of responses to avoid conforming to the role expected of them by gov
• some chose to emigrate, or were exiled, others refused to work
• in conclusion, the Brezhnev years made it easier to undermine the system by using subtexts in their works, and audiences and readers became good at seeing the messages behind the work