
De-Stalinization and the House of Culture
Declining State Control over Leisure in the USSR, Poland and Hungary, 1953–1989
- 210 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
De-Stalinization and the House of Culture
Declining State Control over Leisure in the USSR, Poland and Hungary, 1953–1989
About this book
De-Stalinization and the House of Culture (1990) looks at the houses of culture – arts centres which in the Stalinist period functioned as agencies of political socialisation – and the changes in their character and functions since Stalin's death. This book explores the diminishing control of the Communist Party over public leisure from 1953 to the present day, as one aspect of the de-Stalinization and the dismantling of the totalitarian system. It focuses on the changing nature and functions of the 'cultural enlightenment' conducted in houses of culture and similar institutions. Public rejection of the Stalinist attempt to saturate all leisure activities with propaganda and to liquidate many national cultural traditions have gradually forced the party to relinquish much of its leading role in this area. The book compares this process in three different Soviet-type systems, the USSR, Poland and Hungary. It discusses depoliticization of house of culture activities and, especially in the era of perestroika, their eventual repoliticization by unofficial associations concerned with a mix of political, cultural, social and environmental issues. Today the house of culture, a quintessentially Stalinist institution, paradoxically provides a home for an emergent civil society.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Half Title
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Original Title Page
- Original Copyright Page
- Table of Contents
- List of tables
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations and administrative divisions
- Introduction
- 1 De-Stalinization, ideology and leisure policy
- 2 A brief history of cultural enlightenment
- 3 Changing content - changing goals?
- 4 Policy and practice 1: party and state
- 5 Policy and practice 2: house of culture staff and the public
- 6 The effectiveness of cultural enlightenment
- 7 Conclusions: the death of Communist cultural enlightenment?
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index