Culture and Society

Question 1

Essay factors: There was a revolution in culture in the USSR between 1929 and 1941

Answer 1

1. Fine art- experimentation banned, must represent socialist realism. Shows was a revolution in culture towards a cult version of history
2. Personality cult developed (1924-29,1929-33,1933-39). Art and images etc= propaganda. Argues was a revolution/view is valid
3. Literature and Union of Soviet Writers
   Prevented expression and freedom however shows a radical reform of society and ideology- censorship and control
4. Theatre and film censored to ensure Communist message spread
   5.Music censored
   6.Education become more traditional and majorly reformed from early 20s however not a huge leap forward from early 20s. More just reversing Stalin and Lenin’s early 1920 decision
5. Attacks on religion carried out (major change here)
6. Family life: women and children. Attitudes completely transformed
   Conc: depends on the way in which a revolution in culture is defined. Undoubtedly was major change however lack of freedom for to censorship and tighten Stalin control. Was a revolution of sorts and was out of hands of the people and used to enforce Communist ideals and remove possible opposition.
   Definitive differences from Lenin’s society.

Question 2

Factor 1: Art was censored by Stalin to ensure promoted the Communist ideology and portrayed socialist realism

Answer 2

-Fine arts banned
-All cultural works had to conform to standards set by Stalin
- ‘Art for its own sake’ had no place in society and writers were expected to be ‘engineers of the human soul’
-Art=propaganda to sell gov’s social and economic policies
-Congress believed socialists arts must be full of partynost (party spirit), idinost (art reflecting new things) and norodnost (national spirit)
-‘Union of Soviet Artists’ founded in 1932. All artists, writers, etc forced to join. Allowed Stalin to gain control over what was produced and by whom.
Non-membership led to artistic isolation w/ no commissions or sale of work.
Art harnessed to develop a cult of personality.
-Images used as propaganda e.g ‘red corners’ set up in offices, factories and private homes so Stalin’s presence would be felt throughout USSR.
-Places and monuments named after Stalin, eg Stalingrad
-70th bday celebrations were extravagant. Giant portrait of Stalin was suspended over Moscow and lit up at night by a battery of searchlights. Shows cult and god-like status.

Question 3

Factor 2: Personality cult developed and increased/ pervaded culture (was a revolution)

Answer 3

1924 Lenin death
-1924-29: Modest image of Stalin.
‘Stalin is the Lenin of today’
Early signs of high status and worship for Stalin
1925: Tsaritsy renamed Stalingrad, removing memory of Tsar and shows new era of Bols
-1929-1933: Extreme lengths to improve popularity and status of Stalin eg 50th bday celebrations= 350 greetings- some from companies that didn’t even exist.
Length of applause for Stalin at conferences increases.
By 1931 portraits of Stalin w/ Marx, Lenin and Engels on speacial occasions. Few individual portraits of Stalin- trying to appear as a socialist leader , following Lenin and Marx
1933-39: portrayed as a strong leader to help people through time of