these are a few notes from the History A level Edexcel book which is communist states and is just about Russia and the beggining of how communism and other issues like economy, industry etc changed russia overall.
Proletkult and the avant-garde, 1917-29 ( p. 95-99)
Who was the People’s Commissar of Enlightenment?
● Anatoly Lunacharsky, argued that following the revolution proletarian culture should
flourish.
● However, Lenin said that the proletariat should learn from the best of the bourgeois culture.
What was Proletkult?
● Lunacharsky stated that capitalism had been dominated by bourgeois culture, and the new
revolutionary society should be now dominated by proletarian culture.
● Lunacharsky believed that a truly revolutionary society should give artistic talent, among
working people, as artistic expression is a highly important part of a fulfilling life.
● Bukharin was a champion of Proletkult, he used his position as editor of Pravda to promote
the organisation throughout the Civil War.
● Proletarian culture would naturally focus on collective experience and involve a wide range of
people.
● In order to foster the growth of proletarian culture, Lunacharsky supported Proletkult. The
proletarian movement. The new organisation was established prior to the October
Revolution.
● From 1918-1920, it was a national movement across Russia, working people had access to
local studios where they could paint, sculpt, and rehearse plays and put on exhibitions and
shows. By 1920, there were around roughly 84,000 members of Proletkult working in over
300 studios.
● It was an organisation that was independent and free of Communist control.
● They published a monthly magazine called Gorn, (Furnace) to showcase the work of
proletarian artists.
What did Lenin think of Proletkult?
● He was very critical of Lunacharsky’s philosophy, and Proletkult.Lenin argued that the best
culture was universal.
● it was neither bourgeoisie nor proletarian; rather it reflected the human spirit he defended
bourgeoisie culture and argued that working people should learn from the bourgeoisie
artists who created a universal culture.
● Lenin had misgivings about Proletkult, he wanted to embrace and search for a new culture
and encouraged artists to embrace Futurism,Lenin believed this style was the worst kind of
bourgeois art. futurism with degenerate and that in the sense that celebrated individual
self-expression the most working people would not understand it.
, What happened to Proletkult i n 1920?
● Proletkult flourished from 1917 to 1920, this was a great achievement in the context of the
Civil War. However, Lenin was suspicious of the organisation he believed that Prolekult was
dominated by socialist associated with opposition such as anarchism.
● government funds were diverted from local activities to support traditional arts such as
ballet.
● The working people needed basic education, rather than opportunities for autistic
expression; he believed that the continued independence of Proletkult was a danger to the
Revolution.
● Lunacharsky, still ain't to defend the Independence of the Prolekult. in October 1920, an
appeal made by Lenin's representatives to the National Congress of the Prowler Colt, the
Communist government and the Congress voted a voluntarily merged or the Commissarist of
education dissenting artist who wanted to stay independent were criticized in the Soviet
press.
Define ‘avant-garde’:Agitprop was often produced by avant-garde artists working for the
government. In this sense, the style of early agitprop was much more experimental than Lenin was
happy with, much more experimental than anything produced after 1929. Please experiment with
writing implements such as chance, geometric shapes, painting, music, literature, and technology
and the influence of Dreams in order to create new kinds of art.
What was the Department of Agitation Propaganda?
● Lenin and Trotsky believed that art can be used to inspire people to support the new
government, by 1920 this letter was the establishment of the department of agitation
propaganda.
● a department within the Communist Party.
● That same year the committee sought of Enlightenment established a similar department,
called [Glavpolitrprovest].
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