1929-41: Stalinist Cult
How successfully was the Stalinist Cult achieved?
What was the Stalinist Cult? This was a cult of personality that was created
following Stalin’s 50th birthday in December 1929. It centred around Stalin’s life in
connection with the Party and the legacy of Lenin, portraying him as the perfect Soviet
man, who also was encouraging others to be guided by him.
What methods did Stalin use to create the Stalinist Cult? Stalin used
several methods in order to assert his control through his cult of personality,
including literature, music and art. He also formed unions for writers and artists
in order to create a guideline for creators to follow so that their works followed
Stalin’s visions.
How was it unsuccessful? Primarily, it was successful, but there were some
examples where individuals were resistant to Stalin’s cult. For example, Gorky
left the USSR in 1921 for disagreeing with the Bolsheviks, but was brought back
by Stalin, and towards the end of his life, it was as though he was under house
arrest. This highlights that the control over the writers / artists could have the
reverse of the desired effects.
Factors Within Theme
The arts – Gorky, How the Steel was Tempered, Cement
Control – unions, education
Values – soviet values, excellent workers, familial values
Historiography
“His image came to dominate this symbolic universe.” Graeme Gill
How successfully was the Stalinist Cult achieved?
Conclusion: Overall, it’s clear that the Stalinist Cult was successfully achieved, as it
would have been difficult to resist under such a controlled state, particularly when people
were immersed in it in their everyday lives. However, there were limitations to its
success, as sometimes the impact was more limited than anticipated, such as with film.
Additionally, much literature was censored or propagandised, but much of the population
would’ve been unable to read, therefore meaning that its impact would have been more
limited. It would be wrong to say that the Stalinist Cult wasn’t achieved, as it’s clear that
it was encorporated through core values such as Stakhanovites or the impact on classes
and women.
Points
Successful through values
Folk culture was used as it tied in with Stalin’s “national values”
Class enemies portrayed as damned
o Introduction of Stakhanovites
o Story of Pavlik Morozov was a childhood favourite
Denounced his father as a kulak and killed by angry relatives
, Workers praised as “norm-breaking” or as “Mother-heroines” for having a large
family
o Women given greater social freedom initially
o Prefer Stalin due to greater freedom
Successful through propaganda
Literature
o The Mother by Gorky
Presents socialism as a new religion
However, Gorky later tried to leave the Soviet Union for disagreeing
with the Bolsheviks
Shows that reversed effect could be had because of this cult and
control
o Return to classics such as Pushkin
o Writers expected to be “engineers of the human soul”
o Not everyone can read though
Music
o Return to classic composers, such as Tchaikovsky or Glinka
Art
o “Art for its own sake” had no place
o Return to landscape art as a favourite medium
Successful through control
Films
o State Committee for Cinematography
o "The myth that the film was so powerful was much more influential than
the films themselves."
o Less effective than intended
o Production of films in the first Five Year Plan
Union of Soviet Writers
o Headed by Gorky
o Shows control despite differing opinions
Union of Soviet Artists
o Exerted greater control
