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Davies, S.R., 'Propaganda
and popular opinion in Soviet Russia, 1934-41'
D.Phil completed 1994. Oxford University
Abstract:
This thesis brings to light hitherto highly classified
material from Russian party and state archives, and
addresses several of the many new questions this material
raises. It is hoped that the result of this endeavour
is an original perspective on Soviet society and on
some of the workings of the Soviet system in this
period. In particular, Soviet society is shown to
be less passive and atomised than some earlier accounts
have suggested. From the time of the XVII party congress
in 1934, the Soviet regime devoted increasing attention
to agitation and propaganda with the aim of moulding
the opinions of ordinary people. All forms of public
communication acquired a uniformity of both style
and content. Although there were fluctuations in the
methods, intensity and direction of the propaganda,
the essential messages did not change. These messages
revolved around the ideas of the cult of Stalin and
other leaders and the unity and well-being of the
people. It was claimed that the whole Soviet people
were unanimous in their support for the vozhd' and
his policies, an image reinforced by mass meetings
and parades. This representation of unity reached
its apogee in November 1937, when Molotov spoke of
the "unity of the Soviet people embodied in the vozhd',
comrade Stalin". The central question addressed by
the thesis was provoked by the apparent disparity
between on the one side, this official imagery and,
on the other, the everyday life of most ordinary people,
one of poverty and, to a certain extent, of oppression.
Publications:
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