Stalinist Values: The Cultural Norms of Soviet Modernity, 1917–1941

by David L. Hoffmann

PSoviet official culture underwent a dramatic shift in the mid-1930s, when Stalin and his fellow leaders began to promote conventional norms, patriarchal families, tsarist heroes, and Russian literary classics. For Leon Trotsky-and many later commentators-this apparent embrace of bourgeois values marked a betrayal of the October Revolution and a retreat from socialism. In the first book to address these developments fully, David L. Hoffmann argues that, far from reversing direction, the Stalinist leadership remained committed to remaking both individuals and society-and used selected elements of traditional culture to bolster the socialist order. pMelding original archival research with new scholarship in the field, Hoffmann describes Soviet cultural and behavioral norms in such areas as leisure activities, social hygiene, family life, and sexuality. He demonstrates that the Soviet state's campaign to effect social improvement by intervening in the lives of its citizens was not unique but echoed the efforts of other European governments, both fascist and liberal, in the interwar period. Indeed, in Europe, America, and Stalin's Russia, governments sought to inculcate many of the same values-from order and efficiency to sobriety and literacy. For Hoffmann, what remains distinctive about the Soviet case is the collectivist orientation of official culture and the degree of coercion the state applied to pursue its goals.

Genres: History, Soviet History, Russian History, Russia, Soviet Union, 20th Century, Politics

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Dr. David L. Hoffmann is a historian and an expert in Russian, Soviet, and East European history. His other interests include Environment, Health, Technology, and Science, as well as Power, Culture, and the State. Since 2017 he has been Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of History at the Ohio State University.

Hoffman received his B.A. in history from Lawrence University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Russian History from Columbia University.

Reviews

[Georgina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for Modern Times Book Review

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good, easy-to-read selection of essays that portrays Stalinism as an evolution of sovietism, rather than a throwback to neo-victorian values. The sections on family values, sexuality, and cultural unity are most interesting.