Education overview and some extra knowledge

Question 1

Soviet _____ were one of the real successes of the Communist education system

Answer 1

universities

Question 2

Soviet universities were one of the real successes of the Communist education system - provide evidence to support this claim

Answer 2

Between 1953 and 1980 student numbers in higher education grew from about 1.5 million to over 5 million, around 19 per cent of the population

Question 3

The University curriculum expanded to reflect the diverse needs of Soviet light industry - provide evidence to support this claim

Answer 3

From 1958 there were new courses, including electronics, radio, construction, agricultural chemistry and machine-building

Question 4

There were attempts to serve the diverse communities that compromised the Soviet Union - provide evidence to support this claim

Answer 4

In 1954 Khrushchev initiated the building of five universities to serve students from non-Russian ethnic backgrounds. Brezhnev continued this initiative by founding 18 universities in non-Russian Soviet republics including Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan

Question 5

Postgraduate education grew between 1953-1975 - provide evidence to support this claim

Answer 5

In 1953 only 9000 Soviet citizens had doctorates; by 1975 that figure had risen to 32,000

Question 6

Why were Soviet authorities concerned about the impact of such high levels of education? What did they do to combat this?

Answer 6

Soviet authorities feared that advanced study would lead to political non-conformity. Therefore, most postgraduate courses focuses on sciences, which were considered politically less dangerous. Postgraduate students in the humanities were expected to write a chapter on how their research supported the established truths of Marxism-Leninism in order to show that they remained committed to the official ideology

Question 7

Khrushchev’s view of the Komsomol

Answer 7

Khrushchev seems to have had a lot of faith in the organisation and was keen to involve Komsomol members in his initiatives. For example, he instructed Komsomol’s leaders to recruit young volunteer workers to work on the Virgin Lands Scheme. Khrushchev hoped that Komsomol would play a leading role in holding factory managers and Party officials to account, reminding them of the vision that they were all working towards.

Question 8

Brezhnev’s view of the Komsomol

Answer 8

Brezhnev was suspicious of Komsomol. He viewed Komsomol’s leadership as young and ambitious, and therefore potentially dangerous. Brezhnev essentially wanted Komsomol to celebrate the achievements of the Party and the leadership. He believed that Komsomol should keep young people disciplined and obedient and should emphasise the values of working hard and respecting the government

Question 9

Lunacharsky

Answer 9

Polytechnic education to liberate individual students

Question 10

Lenin

Answer 10

Liquidation of illiteracy as the foundation of freedom

Question 11

Stalin

Answer 11

Discipline and essential skills for economic modernisation

Question 12

Khrushchev

Answer 12

Polytechnic education to emphasise the dignity and importance of work

Question 13

Brezhnev

Answer 13

Traditional teaching and traditional curriculum, but expanded educational provision to ensure a good standard of education for all