soviet society and culture

What were the two most radical social laws regarding women passed in 1917 and 1920?

The 1917 divorce law (allowing divorce on demand) and the 1920 law legalizing abortion on demand.

Who was the leading Bolshevik theorist on 'the woman question' and head of the Zhenotdel?

Alexandra Kollontai, who advocated for women's economic independence and the 'socialization' of domestic labor.

Define the 'Great Retreat' of 1936.

A policy shift back to traditional family values to combat social instability; it included banning abortion, making divorce harder/more expensive, and offering cash incentives for large families.

By the end of the 1920s, how had the divorce laws affected women in Moscow?

Negatively; two-thirds of marriages ended in divorce, often leaving women abandoned, pregnant, and living in overcrowded flats with their ex-husbands.

What was the primary goal of the 'Liquidation of Illiteracy' decree (1919)?

To make all citizens aged 8-50 literate so they could be exposed to propaganda and taught modern industrial skills.

How did school discipline change between the 'Cultural Revolution' (1928-31) and the Stalinist era?

Radical 'project methods' were abolished in 1931 in favor of traditional teaching: exams, homework, school uniforms, and strict teacher authority were restored.

Name the two main Soviet youth organizations.

The Pioneers (for children under 15) and the Komsomol (for those aged 14 to 28).

Who was Pavlik Morozov, and why was he a propaganda symbol?

A 13-year-old boy who allegedly denounced his father to the authorities; he was held up as a model of choosing loyalty to the state over family.

What was the purpose of the Union of the Militant Godless (est. 1921)?

To spread atheist propaganda, ridicule religious relics, and hold public debates to 'prove' God did not exist.

What was the impact of the Cultural Revolution on the Orthodox Church?

It was a period of intense persecution; by 1930, 80% of village churches were closed, and priests were hounded as 'kulaks.'

Define 'Nomenklatura.'

An elite system of 5,500 designated party posts that could only be filled by central appointees, ensuring total loyalty through special privileges and rewards.

What was Proletkult?

An early revolutionary movement (1917-1920s) that aimed to create a new proletarian culture produced by workers themselves, independent of 'bourgeois' art.

Define 'Socialist Realism' (proclaimed in 1934).

The only acceptable artistic style, which required art to be simple, realistic, and designed to glorify the Soviet future and its heroes.

How did Stalin view writers in the new Soviet state?

He called them the 'engineers of human souls,' tasked with using literature to build the socialist mentality.

What happened to the history of the 1917 Revolution in the 1938 Short Course?

It was rewritten to make Stalin the chief hero alongside Lenin, while rivals like Trotsky were 'airbrushed' out or labeled 'bourgeois opportunists.'

Who was the 'New Soviet Man' (Homo Sovieticus)?

The ideal citizen: a technically skilled proletarian with a high sense of social responsibility, free from the 'backwardness' of religion or peasant traditions.

What was the Zhdanovshchina (started 1946)?

A post-WWII cultural purge led by Andrei Zhdanov to enforce ideological purity and root out Western 'bourgeois' influences in the arts.

Why did Stalin launch an anti-Semitic campaign against 'rootless cosmopolitans' after WWII?

He suspected Soviet Jews of having Western loyalties (specifically to the USA and Israel) and viewed them as a security threat in the Cold War.

How did the standard of living change for workers under the Five-Year Plans?

While health care and literacy improved, housing was abysmal and meat/milk consumption declined by two-thirds between 1928 and 1933 due to shortages.