Music, as with all other art forms, was regulated in the Soviet Union. There was one record label, Melodiya, that published all “official” music in the USSR. Of course though, because this is the Soviet Union, there was a lot of underground art produced, and this included music. In the Soviet Union, rock music was … Continue reading Kino and the Underground Music Scene
Reformism under Khrushchev
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Khrushchev’s reign is, in my opinion, one of the more fascinating periods of Soviet History. It has the Kitchen Debates, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race, and is the height of the Cold War. While there was a lot of tension with the West during this time period, internally, the Soviet Union was undergoing … Continue reading Reformism under Khrushchev
Changing Goals: Consumerism in the Soviet Union under Stalin
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Under the first five year plan, industrialization of the “backwards” and agrarian Soviet Union was paramount. For most of its existence, the Soviet economy functioned (and would continue to function) as a “dictatorship over needs.” (Soviet Consumerism) It’s not until the rule of Khrushchev with the Kitchen Debate and the Seven Year Plan that consumerism … Continue reading Changing Goals: Consumerism in the Soviet Union under Stalin
A Broken Promise: the Role of the “New Woman” in Stalin’s Soviet Union
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During the period after the October Revolution until roughly the time period of Lenin’s death, the Soviet Union was embracing radically new and egalitarian societal and cultural customs with regards to women. Lead by pioneers such as Ekaterina Breshovskaia and Aleksandra Kollontai, the October Revolution inspired a sense of independence in women that was suppressed … Continue reading A Broken Promise: the Role of the “New Woman” in Stalin’s Soviet Union
Railroads: Industrializing and Expanding Eastwards
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Globally, railways were the predominant way of expanding during the 19th century. Starting with the first transcontinental railroad built in America during the 1860s that helped “tame” the Wild West, the latter half of the 1800s saw a vast increase in the number of rail miles in the world. This change was prominent in Russia, … Continue reading Railroads: Industrializing and Expanding Eastwards
