Extra detail: Culture and society Flashcards
How did Lenin destroy much of the ‘earthly’ power of the Russian Orthodox Church?
- Seizing church lands
- Secularising births, deaths, marriages and schools
- Persecuting priests
- Circulating atheistic propaganda
When was there a brief relaxation of the anti-religious campaign?
1935
What was the impact of Stalin’s 1936 Constitution on churches?
- Criminalised the publication or organisation of religious propaganda
- Priests regained the right to vote
How many mosques had been closed down by 1941?
25,000
What were mosques and churches converted into?
Schools, cinemas, clubs, warehouses, museums, grain stores
What proportion of the population described themselves as religious believers in the 1937 census?
500,000+ (real number almost definitely higher)
How were women shown in films and art during the ‘Great Retreat’?
As feminine family women with adoring children, rather than muscular and plainly dressed
How did the ‘family code’ affect child support payments?
Child support payments by fathers fixed at 60% of income, but difficult to collect because many men married several times
How was the importance of marriage re-emphasised in the ‘Great Retreat’?
Wedding rings were reintroduced and new-style wedding certificates issued
How did the ‘family code’ deal with prostitution and homosexuality?
New decrees were to be enforced against them, but in practice the authorities regarded them as ‘capitalist vices’ and were reluctant to acknowledge their existence or extent
Who was put in charge of many schools?
Collective farms or town enterprises
Who was put in charge of universities and why?
Veshenkka, because they were seen as agencies for delivering economic growth
What changed for teachers (and lecturers)?
- Given a higher status and increasingly likely to be Party members
- Closely watched and could be arrested if they didn’t live up to standards
- Encouraged to set high targets for themselves and their students under the Stakhanovite system and could be blamed or purged if students didn’t do well
Why was a literate population so desirable?
They could more readily absorb propaganda
What was a kommunalka?
A communal dwelling or housing bloc where most urban families lived. Space was allocated according to family size
