Soviet women as workers and symbolsView the documentary excerpt
Soviet Women Remember Socialism
Read the following primary source:
Pravda, "On the Path to the Great Emancipation" (1929)
And examine these two images:
Investiia, "The Old Way of LIfe" (1930)
Leningradskaia pravda, "Woman with Lenin/Stalin Flag" (1934)
Question
:
-How does the Soviet propaganda (in text and image) present Soviet women in relation to the past?
-How does the Soviet propaganda present Soviet women in relation to women in the capitalist west? -Do the experiences of women in the documentary corroborate or contradict their depiction in official propaganda?
And also please reply to these two Piers: 100 words each. Thank you
1st pier to reply
: The soviet propaganda int heir relation to women in the past shows a progressive movement utilizing women as the forefront figure head for the increase and expansion in industrialization and workers. The first image depicts a woman operation heavy machinery while she appears to be driving over an demolishing objects such as cooking utensils, spoons, pots and pans to symbolize that movement are no longer to remain a second class and staying at home. They are now equal to men in pay and job status. The second image is a woman waving a flag of Lenin and Stalin symbolizing the respect shows to their countries leaders in front of urban buildings and industries which women played a role in to help create.
The Soviet women were celebrating their new found recognition in the work force and loving the equality of work and pay in comparison to women outside the border of the soviet union, in particular women in the capitalist countries such as Western Europe and the United States. The emancipation of the Soviet women was the driving force behind the growth and women in the Soviet Union loved it. The women interviewed in the documentary display nothing but gratitude and love towards their leaders and their experience with the tenants of socialism. For them, it was an overnight change for the good of themselves and their country. The women in the documentary along with man others in the Soviet Union became literate even with busy schedules which did not allow some to leave the house for schooling. Tutors came to their home and willingly taught classes to expand education to assist with furthering the progression of the Soviet Union.
2nd pier to reply
: The image of Izvestila, "Old Way of Life" dated March 9, 1930 relates to the past of not only Soviet Woman, but women of other countries. The image itself depicts a focused and confident women who is on a tractor that appears to be tilling up the earth. Within the tilled earth is objects that would normally be associated to women: kitchen utensils, make-up, and what looks to be vases, mirrors and bread. In a more politically related image: Leningradskaia pravda, "Women with Lenin/Stalin Flag" dated March 9, 1934 (four years after the previous image), women "were used as symbols in a propaganda campaign." (URL: http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/p/47.html%20)
In the article Pravda, "On the Path to a Great Emancipation" dated March 8, 1929 (International Communist Women's Day), the tone was that of saying that other countries were inferior. The article mocked terms of national government, and the stone walls that prevented women (specifically working women) to participate. This view presented that other women were not viewed as equals unless they were apart of communist or socialist society.
The experiences of the women shown in the video documentary directly correlated with the propaganda that was released. Although instead of flying a flag or driving a tractor, for example, they were leading the construction of electrical infrastructure. Perhaps the imagery was a way to quickly get the word out of the intent for women to take on roles that was traditionally reserved for men in order to proceed towards their cultural revolution as stated in the Pravda article.