How far did Society change under Stalin

Authors Avatar

How far did Society change under Stalin?

Cultural Revolution

  • Began end of 1920’s
  • Signalled return to socialist ideals of Revolution and class warfare
  • Non Marxists working in social areas such as education and the arts were denounced
  • There would be a new ‘Soviet Man’ and a transformed society that was truly socialist

Youth

  • Young Communists took a lead in this
  • Komsomol (1918) members aged 14 to 28.
  • 1927 2 million members. Had to apply to join
  • Attacked religion in the villages, booed and criticised painters and writers who did not follow party line
  • Enforced collectivisation, labour discipline, reporting on mood of the people
Join now!

Religion

  • Link between kulaks and churchgoers, accused priests of holding back collectivisation
  • Priests hounded out of villages, churches raided, bells melted down, imposed taxes on churches
  • By end of 1930 80% of country’s village churches closed
  • 1/40 functioning by end of 1930’s
  • No new churches in new towns and cities

Education

  • Traditional teaching, homework, textbooks and testing came under attack
  • Shulgin, headed educational research institute, said children could be educated to be useful. Delivering leaflets, gathering firewood etc
  • Schools should be linked to factories
  • Non party teachers driven out and replaced ...

This is a preview of the whole essay