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THE CONCEPT OF “POLITENESS” IN SOVIET CULTURE OF THE 1930S (CASE STUDY OF “PIONERSKAYA PRAVDA” NEWSPAPER)

L. Likhacheva, M. Kapkan

First published: 2019https://doi.org/10.5593/SWS.ISCSS.2019.5/S26.003View metrics

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the analysis of constructing a new concept “politeness” in the Soviet culture in the 1930s. The methodology of the paper is based on V. Volkov’s and S. Fitzpatrick’s ideas about mastering culture by the Soviet people. Principles of new Soviet politeness are revealed, and main etiquette situations typical for children’s everyday life are characterized (communications with classmates, teachers, parents, behaviour in public transportation, sports events) on the materials of the popular newspaper for children “Pionerskaya pravda”. Correlation between the concept of politeness and the idea of civility becoming popular in that period is traced. The paper concludes that in the 1930s politeness was identified through the antithesis of rudeness treated as a set of social deviations. For this reason it is natural that discussion about politeness included questions concerned solutions of urgent social problems and avoided such etiquette cases as visiting theatres, museums, etc. Polite behaviour as cultural capital was stated due to its description as an attribute of the Soviet citizen. However excessive politeness was evaluated negatively and could mark a class enemy, a spy, etc.

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Publication details

Title
THE CONCEPT OF “POLITENESS” IN SOVIET CULTURE OF THE 1930S (CASE STUDY OF “PIONERSKAYA PRAVDA” NEWSPAPER)
Authors
L. Likhacheva, M. Kapkan
Proceedings
6th SWS International Scientific Conference on Social Sciences ISCSS 2019
Publisher
STEF92 Technology
Year
2019
Pages
19-26
SWS Citekey
Likhacheva2019261926
ISSN
2682-9959
ISBN
978-619-7408-95-9
Language
en
Publication type
Proceedings Paper
Keywords
politenessSoviet cultureetiquettemannerscivility
References11

  1. Andreeva M., Grubost pioneram ne k licu, Pionerskaya pravda, Russia, vol. 13, p 1, 1938;

  2. Dunham V., In Stalin's Time: Middleclass values in Soviet fiction, Great Britain, 1979, p 22;

  3. Fitzpatrick S., Everyday Stalinism: Ordinary Life in Extraordinary Times: Soviet Russia in the 1930s, Great Britain, 2000;

  4. Kononenko E., Grubost, Pionerskaya pravda, Russia, vol. 2, p 1, 1938;

  5. Lebina N. B., Sovetskaya povsednevnost: normy i anomalii. Ot voennogo kommunizma k bolshomu stilyu, Russia, 2015;

  6. Muskin V., Ty ili vy? Kak nazyvat vozhatogo, Pionerskaya pravda, Russia, vol. 43, p 1, 1936;

  7. Ossowska M., Wz ́or obywatela w ustroju demokratycznym’, O człowieku, moralnosci i nauce: Miscellanea, Poland, 1983, pp 355–376;

  8. Plaggenborg S., Revolutionskultur. Menschenbilder und kulturelle Praxis in Sowjetrussland zwischen Oktoberrevolution und Stalinismus, Germany, 1996, p 10;

  9. Tazin S., Priyatniy sobesednik, Pionerskaya pravda, Russia, vol. 161, p 1, 1937;

  10. Volkov V.V., The concept of “culturnost”, 1935-1938: Soviet civilization and the everyday life in Stalin's time, Sotsiologicheskiy zhurnal, Russia, vol. 1-2, 1996, pp 194-213;

  11. Zamyatin V., Krazha minut, Pionerskaya pravda, Russia, vol. 128, p 3, 1938.

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