14 Society, Nationality, Culture in

the Thirties

Overview

A. Major Themes

B. Demography

C. Dynamics of Social Change

D. New Social Hierarchy

E. Nationalities

F. Cultural Revolution and Cultural Construction

A. Major Themes

1. Myth of restoration: purported resumption of Russian cultural, norms over revolutionary visions.

2. Demographic revolution (stunting of rural growth, high rates of urbanization) and its social and economic repercussions.

3. Social engineering: zigzags in policy, formation of new social hierarchy.

4. From indigenization to Sovietization.5. From cultural revolution to cultural

construction.

B. Demography

1. Data problems

2. Slowed growth: patterns and explanations

3. Urbanization

4. Women and Family policy

5. Social and economic implications

Urbanization in the USSR

Year Percent population in cities

1926 19

1939 33

1953 43

Stalin and Women’s Equality

Male Worker, Female Peasant

Women: Careers in Aviation (1931)

1936 Glorifying Motherhood

Women, Tractors, Child Care

1940: Children and Family IDeal

C. Dynamics of Social Change

1. Purges and terror2. Industrialization 3. Collectivization 4. Education5. De-egaligarianism: wage differentials vs.

uranilovka (leveling)

D. New Social Hierarchy

1. Intelligentsia: persecution to privilege

2. Workers: growth, disciplining, stratification, standard of living

3. Peasants: leveling, re-enserfment, flight, plotomania, productive nihilism

4. Forced labor

Complex Social Hierarchies

Intelligentsia Workers Peasants

1. Ruling elite 1. Worker aristocracy

1. Kolkhoz elite (directors, staff)

2. Superior intelligentsia

2. Rank-and-file 2. Rank-and-file

3. General intelligentsia

3. Unskilled 3. Unskilled, repressed

4. Sluzhashchie

Stalin: Celebrates Stakhanovites

Stakhanov with his new car

Stakhanovites 1936

Model Poster to Honor Local Stakhanovites

E. Nationalities

1. Results of “nation-building” in the 1920s

2. Key problems

3. The “slow turn”

4. Case studies:a. Ukraine

b. Birobidzhan

c. Central Asia

Birobidzhan: Worker and local paper (1935)

Birobidzhan: Furniture Factory (1934)

Birobidzhan: Jewish Kaganovich Theater

1937: Chukchi Urged To Vote

Uzbekistan: “Comrades’ Courts”

Deveiling Women in Uzbekistan (1936)

F. Cultural Revolution and Cultural Construction

1. Cultural revolution of 1928-32

2. Cultural construction in the Thirties

3. Education

4. Arts and literature

5. Science and scholarship

6. Religion

Rebuilding Moscow: Demolition of the Christ the Savior Cathedral

Moscow: Palace of Soviets in lieu of Cathedral (1935 sketch)

Palace of Soviets (interior view)

New Avenue to Palace of Soviets