4.2 Social and cultural change Flashcards
social change under stalin 1945-53
living standards of ordinary russian people
- Peasants squeezed by quota system, lived on an income that was less than 20 per cent of an industrial worker.
- towns, diets poor and housing, services and consumer goods were all in short supply.
- working week remained at its wartime levels with a norm of 12 hours per day.
- woman expected to make up for war dead
- 1950 - household ocnsumption only 1/10 hugher that 1921
- 1947, 90% rouble devaluation
social change under Krushchev 1953-64
Improvement in Living Standards
- Consumer goods radios, televisions, and refrigerators more widely available.
- Small quantities of imported foreign goods entered the market.
- Ambitious housing initiatives, including prefabricated flats, were launched to alleviate overcrowding.
social change under Krushchev 1953-64
Taxation Changes
- Compulsory voluntary subscriptions to the State were abolished in 1958.
- Taxes on bachelors and childless couples were removed.
- Pension arrangements were improved, extending eligibility even to peasants.
social change under Krushchev 1953-64
Working Conditions
- Introduction of a 40-hour workweek aimed at reducing labor hours.
- Wage equalization campaign increased wages for the lowest-paid workers, contributing to social equality.
- Factory trade unions were given more responsibilities, empowering them in employment negotiations.
social change under Krushchev 1953-64
Educational and Healthcare Improvements
- Better and more widely available education.
- Continuous improvement in medicine and welfare services.
- Technological advancements improved transport infrastructure.
quality of life and cultral change under stalin
- tighter censorship
- ethnic minorities suffered
- freedom of cultral experession = non-existant
social life and cultral change under Khrushchev
Thaw in Social Restrictions
- Relaxation of restrictions on reading foreign literature, listening to foreign radio broadcasts, and freedom of expression.
- Limited number of citizens permitted to travel abroad, fostering exposure to Western culture.
- Cultural and sports exchanges arranged, including international performances and tours.
social life and cultral change under Khrushchev
Cultural Exposure and Tourism
- Introduction of ‘Intourist’ to facilitate foreign visits to the USSR, showcasing Soviet achievements.
- Greater exposure to Western culture through events like the World Festival of Youth in 1957.
- Western culture admired for its perceived modernity, influencing Soviet youth culture.
social life and cultral change under Khrushchev
Western Influence on Youth Culture
- Adoption of Western fashion, music genres like rock and roll and jazz, and other cultural elements.
- Emergence of Soviet versions of Western subcultures, such as the ‘Teddy Boys’ known as stiliagi.
- shift in youth attitudes towards materialism and cynicism towards revolutionary ideals.
social life and cultral change under Khrushchev
Social Unrest and Challenges
- Rise in incidents of petty vandalism and hooliganism, changing youth attitudes.
- University protests against controls and ideological restrictions, highlighting dissatisfaction among students.
- Survey data indicating a majority of young people expressing cynicism towards revolutionary ideals, posing a challenge to the Soviet system.
changes in elitist culture
Rehabilitation of Persecuted Artists
Khrushchev rehabilitated artists and writers persecuted during the Stalinist era, such as Shostakovich, Akhmatova, Bebel, Pilnyak, and Zoschchenko, allowing them to work again.
changes in elitist culture
Literary Freedom and Critique
- Authors like Vladimir Dudinstev and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn thrived on newfound freedom, producing works critical of Stalinist times, such as “Not by Bread Alone” and “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich,” respectively.
- Western literature, including works by Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway, and A.J. Cronin, was permitted for sale in the USSR for the first time.
changes in elitist culture
Limits on Artistic Freedom
- Khrushchev’s conservative tastes influenced cultural policies, leading to criticism of modernism in literature and art.
- Despite Khrushchev’s personal preferences, artistic endeavors were evaluated based on their commitment to social responsibility.
changes in elitist culture
Challenges to Authority
- Artists and writers tested boundaries, prompting the Party to determine what was permissible in cultural expression.
- Works that challenged communism or the Soviet State were outlawed.
- Dissenting voices like Ivan Dzyuba and Paul Litvinov were attacked for their criticisms of the Soviet system and prevented from publishing.
churches
- Khrushchev intensified the socialist campaign against religious institution.
- Atheism integrated into the school curriculum
- children were prohibited from attending church services starting from 1961.
- Parents were forbidden from teaching religion to their children
- Monasteries, convents, and Orthodox churches faced mass closures, reducing their numbers significantly by 1965.
- Pilgrimages were banned
