DOI: 10.7256/2409-868X.2017.1.20970

Abstract: This article examines the socioeconomic moods of the youth shortly before the Great Patriotic War. The author analyzes the impact of the Soviet ideology and propaganda upon the process of transformation of the moods of Soviet youth with regards to economic and industrial activity. Special attention is given to examination of the role of Komsomol organizations in development of Stakhanovite movement and high-involvement work practices among the young generation. The author reviews the attitude of young men and women towards the work in collective farms, loan campaigns, socialist property, and changes in labor legislation. The relevance of this topic is justified by the fact that examination of the mechanisms of formation of youth consciousness alongside the impact of Komsomol propaganda, as an element of Soviet ideology upon the character of public moods of young generation, is purposeful for structuring of the youth policy at the present stage, as well as contributes into the fuller coverage of the controversial social processes among youth during the period of intensification of totalitarization of the society. The scientific novelty consists in carrying out a comprehensive research of socioeconomic moods of the youth over the period of 1937-1941 for the first time in history.

DOI: 10.7256/2409-868X.2016.5.17469

Abstract: The relevance of this research is substantiated by the necessity of historical cognition of the role of Komsomol in political education of the youth. Based on the materials of the State Archive of the Sociopolitical History of Tambov Oblast, this article examines such compositional elements of political upbringing as participation of Komsomol members in the work regarding the struggle against the “public enemy”, well as anti-religious and educational activity of the Komsomol organizations. The author conducts the analysis of the impact of political education upon the formation of specific feature of the Soviet youth, as well as gives assessment to the quality of education in political schools and groups. The article also examines the influence of political upbringing on the character of public moods of the youth, which allows more objectively evaluate the sociocultural phenomenon of the Komsomol. The scientific novelty consists in reframing of the controversial sociopolitical moods of the youth during the most difficult stage in the history of Komsomol. The author underlines the influence of Komsomol organization in the field of political education and upbringing of the young generation upon the establishment of specific features among the Soviet youth.

DOI: 10.7256/2409-868X.2016.3.18907

Abstract: This research is dedicated to the problem of examination of the public moods specificity among the Soviet youth throughout the years of mass political repressions of the late 1930’s. The article thoroughly explores the components of Komsomol propaganda during the years of the “Great Purge”, analyses its influence upon the consciousness of young men and young ladies, as well as reveals the causes of mass participation and support of political repressions by the youth. The relevance of this topic is justified by a number of circumstances: firstly, the necessity for a comprehensive study of the experience of formation of peculiar features of public consciousness among youth during the period of totalitarian regime, including the years of the “Great Purge”; secondly, the importance of understanding of the historical role of Komsomol and Komsomol propaganda in the process of transformation of public moods of the young generation. Scientific novelty is substantiated by the fact that for the first time the study of the influence of political repressions upon the character of public moods among youth in the late 1930’s is conducted based on the materials from the State Archive of Sociopolitical History of Tambov Oblast. The author demonstrates that the atmosphere of overall suspiciousness encouraged the distortion of the actual moral and ethical values, but nevertheless, comes to a conclusion, that the youth was far from being monolithic. The article illustrates the multiple examples of defense of one’s opinion.

DOI: 10.7256/2409-7144.2015.7.15642

Abstract: The subject of this study is the Komsomol propaganda forming the image of an "enemy of the people" as well as the perception of the image in the ranks of the Young Communist League and non-union youth in 1937. In his study Yakimov has examined the constituents of the collective image of the "enemy of the people" in the Komsomol propaganda. On the basis of documents from the "Komsomol" funds of the State Archive of Socio-Political History of Tambov region (GASPITO), the researcher has described the mechanism of formation of the image of the "enemy of the people" among young people, analyzed the main reasons for the prosecution, revealed the effects of kinship and ideological ties with persons who were declared the "enemies of the people." The methods used in this historic study can be divided into the following two groups: the group of general scientific methods that includes description, analysis, synthesis, generalizatio and deduction; the group of specific historical methods that includes the concrete historical, comparative historical and retrospective methods. The scientific novelty of the work is caused by the fact that the study of the image of "the enemy of the people" was conducted on the resource-based archival documents of the Komsomol. It is shown that one of the key aspects of ideological propaganda in the Komsomol was the concept of the "enemy of the people". In that period that name was given to many of the former leaders of the Bolshevik Party as well as of the countries with fascist regimes. The Komsomol propaganda greatly contributed to the consolidation of the Soviet youth for the purpose of fighting against "enemies of the people" and to the strengthening of repressive policies in many Komsomol organizations.