The struggle against cosmopolitanism in the USSR is brief. The beginning of the struggle against cosmopolitanism: a year. The causes of the struggle against cosmopolitanism

The struggle against cosmopolitanism, the date of which was firmly embedded in Soviet history, was sanctioned by the government. It was an ideological campaign directed against citizens who, in the opinion of the country's leadership, represented a danger to the state. They differed in other ideas that did not agree with the direction of the domestic and foreign policies of the Soviet government. Let us consider further how the struggle against cosmopolitanism was conducted.

General information

In short, the struggle against cosmopolitanism in the USSR was directed against the Soviet intelligentsia. They were considered to be the bearers of pro-Western ideas. What was the beginning of the struggle against cosmopolitanism? The date of the campaign coincides with the period of the Cold War. Its main target was the figures of culture and science, Soviet Jews. All of them considered themselves Russians, but they were accused by the government of their lack of patriotism, their connections with the West, and their departure from the ideas of Marx and Lenin.

The causes of the struggle against cosmopolitanism

The victory in the Great Patriotic War caused the country pride in the feat of its people, a powerful rise in patriotism. This all sowed in the minds of people the hope for better life, the expansion of freedom, the weakening of rigid state control in various spheres. But the Cold War was ripe . She destroyed faith in a brighter future. The first signs of the deterioration of relations between the country and the West were state policy in 1946. The government exerted pressure on representatives of the bourgeoisie and the intelligentsia. In popular magazines on the front pages, the decisions of the Central Committee on Culture were published. In the publications "Leningrad" and "Zvezda" critics were subjected to writers, poets, directors, composers. Among them were Akhmatova, Dovzhenko, Zoshchenko, Tvardovsky, Eisenstein, Shostakovich, Prokofiev. They, like many others, were described in the resolutions of the Central Committee as vulgar and immoral people. Tarle's work also provoked the government's condemnation. He was accused, in particular, of the erroneous assessments of the Crimean War, the justification of the battles that took place under Catherine II. This was all accompanied by dislocations from occupied posts, arrests. These people were persecuted because they considered themselves to some extent independent of the ideology of the Soviet Union, free to choose between East and West. The word "cosmopolitan" means universality. It expresses the citizen's belonging to the world, regardless of the country in which he was born and lives.

The struggle against cosmopolitanism in the USSR (briefly)

The first accusations to people in following western traditions began to appear before the cold and even before the Great Patriotic War. So, repressions against those who did not agree with the social and political structure of the country are widely known. If we talk about who led the fight against cosmopolitanism in the USSR, then it was undoubtedly Stalin. The push of the campaign was given by his speech on May 24, 1945, in it Stalin noted the significance of the Russian people, calling it the guiding force of the whole nation. All his words were actively supported by the Soviet press. In the minds of the people, the opinion was rooted that it was the Russians who were the main force that destroyed the fascists, that without their help, no other nation within the Soviet Union could cope with this. All agitation was held under the banner of cultivating patriotism. Often in foreign and domestic publications, the struggle against cosmopolitanism, in short, equates to Stalin's anti-Semitism. This opinion is expressed by many historians.

Objectives

Ideological campaigns in the post-war period were widely disseminated and aroused great public resonance. The main goal of the government, according to a number of researchers, was to establish and maintain control over nations for subsequent manipulation. The struggle against cosmopolitanism (the year of the first manifestations - 1948) has always been under the scrutiny of Stalin. He gave it a special ideological significance.

"Courts of Honor"

How did the struggle against cosmopolitanism develop? The year 1948 is considered the most vivid period of its manifestation. At the initiative of Stalin, "courts of honor" were established. Their education is the official beginning of the struggle against cosmopolitanism. The "courts of honor" were to reveal all manifestations of adulation and servility before the culture of the West. They were charged with eliminating the underestimation of the role of Soviet cultural and scientific figures in the development of the entire world civilization. The beginning of the struggle against cosmopolitanism was accompanied, first of all, by the persecution of Jews. The campaign was held in all cities of the country. Courts acted in every department. They considered antisocial and anti-state acts and actions that were not punishable by the Criminal Code in force at the time.

Case "KR"

It became an occasion for a large-scale campaign in all research institutes of the country. Scientists Klyueva and Roskin created in 1947 an effective drug against cancer. He was called "Krutsin" ("KR"). The discovery immediately interested in America. The USA offered to conduct joint research. Upon their completion, it was proposed to publish a book. With the consent of the government, an appropriate agreement was reached. Parin (academician-secretary of the AMN) was sent to America. He gave the Americans ampoules of the drug and draft notes on the biotherapy of malignant tumors. All these actions Parin committed with the consent of the Minister of Health of the USSR. But this event was extremely dissatisfied with Stalin. Returning from America, Parin was arrested. He was sentenced to 25 years in the article "Treason to the Motherland." In addition, the trial of Roskin and Klyueva took place.

Campaign in Leningrad

The struggle against cosmopolitanism also actively developed in the city on the Neva. In 1948, he became the center of the campaign. The Leningrad University suffered most. At the historical and philological faculties, the best professors were arrested and expelled. Among them were Weinstein, Gukovsky, Rabinovich, Mavrodin and others. The Jews were expelled from the graduate school. After graduating from the university, after the distribution they received a referral to a remote province or did not remain unemployed at all. For a long time, the reception of Jews for teaching positions was stopped. All employees and students were forbidden to be published in foreign publications. The struggle against cosmopolitanism was very beneficial to "mediocre scientists." Many of them have secretly used prohibited foreign publications, issuing publications for their own.

Negative coloring of the term

In March 1945, Aleksandrov published an article in the journal Questions of Philosophy. In it he accused the anti-patriotic sentiments of such prominent figures as Trotsky, Milyukov, and Bukharin. Cosmopolitans, in his opinion, were both Left Socialist-Revolutionaries and Communists, in particular General Vlasov, who had converted to fascists during the war. It is with this article that many historians associate the appearance of a vivid negative coloring of the term. Cosmopolitans were compared with "enemies of the people" or "traitors to the Motherland". Aleksandrov in his article called specific surnames. Among them was the editor-in-chief of the "Questions of Philosophy" - the magazine where it was printed. From that moment on, the fight against stolid cosmopolitanism passed into literature.

"Antipatriotic group of theater critics"

Stalin, giving the ideological significance of the campaign, himself was often printed in leading editions under a pseudonym. So, he published an article in the newspaper "Pravda". There were several explanations of the concept in it, however, only one "native cosmopolitan" became widespread in the literature. In 1949, a real conflict broke out between critics of the Theatrical Society and the leaders of the Writers' Union. The first in their articles subjected the works of socialists to disgrace (Fadeev, in particular). The latter, in turn, accused critics of cosmopolitanism. The initiator of the conflict was Popov, who personally turned Stalin's attention to the incident. As a result, a large-scale struggle against cosmopolitanism in the writers' circles was launched. The Jews suffered most of all, of course.

Effects

The struggle against cosmopolitanism led to the isolation of the Soviet people from the outside world. According to a number of researchers, the entire campaign was deployed by Stalin to tighten his policy (both external and internal). Among the consequences, one should mention the negative impact of the struggle on the development of Soviet science and culture. The opportunities of scientists and personalities were significantly limited. The strengthening of ideological control significantly threw the Soviet Union back in comparison with the West. An example is the closure of the road to domestic geneticists. Academician Lysenko was monopolized by agrobiology. Many doctors, pedologists and other specialists were included in the final plan. This seriously impeded the development of key agrobiological spheres. The campaign criticized the most important areas of science, forbidden cooperation with foreign colleagues. The possibility of discussion and expression of opinion among educated and advanced figures was substantially limited.

Conclusion

It should be said that the fight against cosmopolitanism was considered a manifestation of anti-Semitism. However, according to a number of researchers, it was not directed specifically at Jews. In addition, large-scale repressions, such as were in the 1930s, were not carried out. The main goal of the struggle was to seize public opinion and establish control over it. As a result of the actions of the government, the "courts of honor", serious damage was inflicted to many scientific fields. Substantial restrictions were imposed on freedom of speech, thought, and press. The government carried out activities aimed at isolating the country from any Western influence. It was a voluntary sacrifice by the state of the state on the international arena. In Soviet society work was carried out to eradicate the moral and scientific authority of the West. The influence of the Cold War on the activation of the campaign is unquestionable. Stalin, assessing the situation in the world and in the country, decided to shift the emphasis in communist propaganda and ideology against dissent with a view to strengthening patriotism among the population. In the course of the struggle, the figures of different nationalities suffered. However, as historical sources testify, a greater blow was inflicted on the Jews.