Socialist Realism - artistic and literary doctrine of a centralized artistic expression in the socialist state. The role of literature and art in Soviet society was redefined in 1932 when the newly created Union of Soviet Writers proclaimed socialist realism as compulsory literary practice. The term, Socialist Realism, probably first occurred in print in an article in the Literary Gazette in May 1932. It stated: "The masses demand of an artist honesty, truthfulness, and a revolutionary, socialist realism in the representation of the proletarian revolution." As conceived by Stalin, Zhdanov, and Gorky, socialist realism prescribed a generally optimistic picture of socialist reality and of the development of the Communist revolution. Its purpose was education in the spirit of socialism. In 1933, Maksim Gorky published and important article, "On Socialist Realism", talking of "a new direction essential to us - socialist realism, which can be created only from the data of socialist experience." The primary theme of Socialist Realism is the building of socialism and classless society by creating an alternate reality for the masses.
What is Socialist Realism? There never was a final agreement in the world society on what Socialist Realism really means - whether it is a style or method, a theoretical abstract, or an artistic school, a non-changing style imposed by leaders on a movement that grew organically over time. The major concept of Social Realism was that all artwork should promote Soviet ideals and help to further Soviet cause. Its supporters believed that throughout art, artists and film makers could help to remold the mentality of people in the spirit of socialism, to inspire people to work hard for Soviet cause, stand together in solidarity and to always look towards the Utopic future Socialism would ultimately bring.
Where did Socialist Realism come from? The Socialist Realism was originated in Soviet Union, where it was encouraged by increasingly centralized artistic organizations as being the ideal form of artistic expression in a socialist state. Later, Socialist Realism spread as part and parcel of communist ideology and government, and it became the dominant form of artistic expression in a large part of the world, in various field including architecture, design, and the visual and performing arts. Socialist Realism is a term that has been used since 1932. In 1934 the First Congress of Soviet Writers convened and officially announced the adoption of Socialist Realism, the ideological doctrine by which works of art in any medium would be judged. Although most of the ideas set down at the conference had been implied previously i.e. 1932, at the conference they were brought forth with a new vigor and it was clear from then on that a workis content would have to be compatible with the wishes of the state.
How Socialist Realism was inflicted into Soviet Society? As film directors, writers, and artists had an extremely important task to show in their films, works, and pictures the benefits of Socialism, the benefits of hard work, and the benefits of being a citizen in the Soviet Union, the state controlled their performance and strictly censored it. While Stalin had been in power for several years no foreign films were shown at all, indicating his zealotry for pro-Soviet propaganda. Also, during this time number of cinemas throughout the country had risen by 14,000, proving that Stalin believed in film. And so, there were many films, produced under his reign, which expressed in depth Soviet ideals. Just as much Soviet ideals were reflected in 20th century Russian literature, since Socialist Realism, officially sanctioned theory and method, of literary composition was present in the Soviet Union from 1932 to the mid 1980s. For that period of history Socialist Realism was the sole criterion for measuring literary works. Socialist Realism follows the great tradition of 19th century Russia realism being a faithful and objective mirror of life. However, it differs from earlier realism in several important respects. The realism of Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov conveyed a critical picture of the society; hence the term critical realism comes to describe their literature. On the other hand, the primary theme of Socialist Realism is the building of socialism and classless society. Writers were expected to take a positive and optimistic view of socialist society and to keep in mind their work's larger historical relevance. Socialist Realism thus looks back to Romanticism in that it encourages a certain heightening and idealizing of heroes and events to mold the consciousness of the masses. Art, just as literature, was subject to illusive portrayal of country's leaders and common people. Socialist Realism paintings and sculptures used naturalistic idealization to portray workers and farmers as dauntless, purposeful, well muscled, and youthful. The leaders were portrayed as wise, caring, kind, all-understanding and flawless fathers of the nation and mother country.
In summary, the Socialist Realism, an ideology enforced by the Soviet state as the official standard for art, literature and films, was defined in 1934 at the First All-Union Congress of Soviet writers. It was based on the principle that the arts should glorify political and social ideals of communism. Every artist had to join the "Union of Soviet Artists", which was controlled by the state. The primary theme of Socialist Realism is the building of socialism and classless society by creating an alternate reality in various forms of artistic expression including architecture, design, literature, and the visual and performing arts, and by idealizations of political leaders and communist ideas.
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June, 2001