Genesis of Cultural Policy and Uprise of Mass Culture in the USSR (1917-1953)

Abstract

The article offers a genetic analysis of the USSR party elite’s understanding of culture that set the stage for the so far unheard-of state monopoly on production of culture. The author of the article relies on verbatim records and documents from party congresses (from the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union). The documents make it clear what principles were applied to draw a line between culture management by the party and culture management on the part of the state.