Culture And Society: 1917-1953 Flashcards

1
Q

Who believed in the idea of a “New Soviet Man”?

A

Lenin
Trotsky
Continued by Stalin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What does Proletkult mean?

A

Proletarian culture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What should writers and artists work express?

A

The values of revolutionary Russia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What was set up by 1922 to create proletariat culture?

A

Writers circles
Art studies
Amateur dramatic groups
Musical appreciation societies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Who brought Proletkult under control and what was the organisation called?

A

Lunarcharsky’s Commerssariat of Enlightenment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

When was the Proletkult disbanded and why?

A

1933 when Lenin ordered strict censorship on the press and academic publications due to criticism of War Communism and NEP

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What were the 4 key features of the Decree of Separation of Church and State?

A

1) Clergy no longer to be paid salaries or pensions by the state
2) Church was no longer to have a central organisation with authority over local congregations
3) Religious teaching was forbidden in schools
4) Church properties no longer owned by clergy but by local Soviets from whom churches would have to be rented for public worship

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What happened to the leaders of the Churches who spoke out?

A

Subjected to show trials then imprisoned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What was the Cheka doing to Churches?

A

Looting and desecrating churches and monasteries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Was the Orthodox Church eradicated fully?

A

No. Driven underground. Peasants continued to pray and worship but couldn’t risk doing it publicly.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What were 4 ways the Bolsheviks undermined the role of marriage?

A

1) Legal divorce if either partner requested it
2) Recognition of illegitimate children
3) Legalisation of abortion
4) State responsible for raising of children

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Following Lenin’s death what image did Stalin assume?

A

Modest image - hard-working man of moderation. Wanted to appear as Lenin’s servant and servant of the party

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

When was Tsaritsyn renamed and what was it renamed to?

A

Stalingrad in 1925

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How many greetings did Stalin receive for his 50th birthday?

A

350 (some from organisations that didn’t exist)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How was Stalin’s image used during the years of disruption from the 1st Five Year Plan and purges?

A

To reassure people that they had a strong leader to help them through the disruption.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What was the ‘History of the All-Union Communist Party’?

A

Published 1938 - reinterpreted history in Stalin’s favour.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the most likely explanation for the development of the cult in the 1930’s?

A

Economic and political circumstances of Soviet Russia in the mid-1930’s. (Disruption of 1st 5 Year Plan and purges, former heroes revealed as traitors, wreckers everywhere)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How was the cult of personality reflected in culture?

A

Paintings stressed Stalin’s personality, humanity and active participation in ordinary people’s lives.
Relationship with children emphasised.
Operas and films glorified his role in the revolution as Chief hero of the civil war.
Statues of him as an all-powerful leader.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How did paintings show Stalin at the end of the 1930’s?

A

More detached and superior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What was the impact of WW2 on the personality cult?

A

Success enhanced Stalin’s position and fed the cult which reached its height at the end of the 1940’s.
Paintings showed him in a god-like solitude or with Lenin - no longer a disciple, now an equal or master.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How many copies of ‘The History of the All Union Communist Party’ sold in the Soviet Union by 1948?

A

34 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

How was history reinterpreted in Stalin’s favour in ‘The History of the All Union Communist Party’?

A

Stalin assumed major role in Oct Rev + Civil War.
Trotsky + Old Bolsheviks portrayed as ‘enemies of the people’ or given minor roles.
Photo’s doctored to remove Stalin’s old enemies.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What did peasants and workers create in their homes?

A

‘Red’ corner of the great leaders (like saints corners in tsarist times)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

In the Soviet Union what did culture have to be?

A

Proletarian. Not a detached activity - expression of the political and economic system operating in society.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What did writers belong to?

A

Union of Soviet Writers

26
Q

What did artists belong to?

A

Union of Artists

27
Q

How did they manage to exert control over these groups?

A

Control over what was created and who was allowed to create - non-membership meant artistic isolation with no opportunity for commissions or the scale of work

28
Q

Who produced the guidance for the Union of Soviet Writers?

A

Andrei Zhdanov

29
Q

What was literature expected to portray?

A

Glory the working man
Communities working together
Embracing new technology

30
Q

What were key messages of literature meant to be like?

A

Uplifting, optimistic, positive

31
Q

What was a popular novel at the time and who wrote it?

A

‘How the Steel was Tempered’ by Nikolai Ostrovsky

32
Q

How many films were withdrawn mid-production between 1936-37?

A

68/150

33
Q

How many plays and ballets were ordered to be withdrawn in 1936-1937?

A

10/19

34
Q

How many plays were banned from performance and theatres closed in 1937-38?

A

60 plays banned
10 theatres closed in Moscow
10 theatres closed in Leningrad

35
Q

What happened to director Vsevolod Meyerhold?

A

Appealed for artistic liberty. Campaign mounted against him by Stalin’s supporters. Arrested 1938, imprisoned for 2 years. Shot as part of 346 death sentences Stalin signed on 1 day.

36
Q

When did Stalin sign 346 death sentences?

A

16th January 1940

37
Q

What were paintings and sculpture meant to reflect?

A

Socialist realism and honour their great leader

38
Q

What was the name of the Soviet Art magazine? What does it mean?

A

Iskusstvo

39
Q

Which composer was targetted by Stalin?

A

Dmitri Shostakovich

40
Q

Why was Dmitri Shostakovich targetted by Stalin?

A

He was the Soviet Union’s leading composer. Stalin stated some of his works were ‘bourgeois and formalistic’

41
Q

Which groups of society were used in Soviet propaganda?

A

Workers

42
Q

What were Stakhanovites?

A

Workers heroes

43
Q

What was the role of Stakhanovites?

A

Role models

44
Q

Who else were treated as heroes?

A

Soviet Aviators and Arctic explorers

45
Q

What was the purpose of The Cult of Stalin?

A

Allowed Stalin to dominate the USSR physically and politically - make everyone know he was their leader.

46
Q

What methods were used to ensure Stalin’s presence was felt throughout the USSR?

A

Covering walls, hoardings and buildings with portraits of his face.
Busts in shop windows, ‘red corners’ in homes and factories.

47
Q

What was Stalin referred to as?

A

‘Man of Steel’

48
Q

How did Stalin user religion?

A

Discouraged religious worship, encouraged worship of Stalin.

49
Q

How did school life and education change under Stalin?

A

Became more strict. Strict methods of discipline (Education Law 1935), report cards, tests and uniforms restored.

50
Q

How did Stalin use education?

A

To have more control over the population of Russia. Indoctrination.

51
Q

What did Stalin believe was the purpose of education?

A

For children to acquire knowledge persistently, become an educated and cultured citizen and be of the greatest possible service to his country.

52
Q

What did Stalin do to reduce levels of illiteracy?

A

Illiterate adults encouraged to attend school or evening classes.

53
Q

By 1939 what had illiteracy declined to?

A

4% of male and 18% of female population.

54
Q

By 1939 how long did children have spend at school?

A

7 years

55
Q

What was the motivation behind education people?

A

Make them able to read the news and propaganda

56
Q

Who were children encouraged to admire?

A

Pavlik Morozov

57
Q

Who was Pavlik Morozov?

A

Young Pioneer who denounced his own father for maintaining ties with kulaks. Murdered as a result by other members of his family.

58
Q

What were children encouraged to join?

A

Party groups (Young Pioneers up to 14 then Komsomol up to 28)

59
Q

What was the purpose of soviet realism?

A

To show the progress of socialism

60
Q

What happened to books that didn’t support socialism?

A

Burnt, cut up and thrown down toilet, paper pasted over faces of disgraced party leaders

61
Q

How did Stalin change party policy in the 1930’s to try to strengthen family life?

A

Divorce made more difficult, abortion made a criminal offence except if necessary on medical grounds, wedding rings restored, homosexuality banned, tax exemptions to families with lots of children.

62
Q

How did opportunities improve for women under Lenin and Stalin?

A

Free health service for all, holidays with pay for many workers, insurance scheme against all accidents at work, almost all factories set up with creches to car for children to encourage women to go back to work after giving birth.