on literature, music and philosophy - zjadanov

7/25/2019 On Literature, Music and Philosophy - Zjadanov

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On Literature, Music andPhilosophy

By A. A. Zhdanov

1950

Lawrence & Wishart Ltd. London

Contents

On literature

I Speech at the First All-Union Congress o So!iet Writers"19#$II %eport on the o'rnals ()!e*da+ and (Leningrad+" 19$,

On music

Concl'ding Speech at a Conerence o So!iet 'sic Worers" 19$/

On philosophy

Speech at a Conerence o So!iet hilosophical Worers" 19$,

A. A. )hdano! 1/92-19$/3 was a lielong 4e4er o the 6olshe!i art7.

For 4an7 7ears leader o the art7 in Leningrad" he was entr'sted with thecit78s deence d'ring the war. In 19#/ he was elected to the olitical 6'rea'

o the art78s Central Co44ittee and was entr'sted with leadership opropaganda and agitational wor. An o'tstanding arist theoretician" he

4ade a n'4er o rilliant reports on :'estions o literat're" art" philosoph7and the international sit'ation.

;hree wors translated here are a4ong the 4ost i4portant contri'tionsdeining and clari7ing the new socialist attit'de to art and literat're< the

o'rth deals with the role o arist philosoph7.

;he irst" on literat're" o'tlines the o'tstanding tass in the de!elop4ent o

So!iet literat're. ;his was a speech at the irst Congress o the Union oSo!iet Writers" where the 4ain report was 4ade 7 ai4 =or7. ;he second

was occasioned 7 criticis4s 4ade o two Leningrad >o'rnals or p'lishinginerior stories and poe4s ? in partic'lar" the stor7Adventures of a Monkey7

ihail )oshcheno" and poe4s 7 Anna Ah4ato!a.

;he speech on 4'sic was deli!ered at a conerence o So!iet co4posers" at

which the wor o leading co4posers was 'nder re!iew" ollowing criticis4so a new opera" The Great Friendship" 7 'radeli.
http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#lit1http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#lit1http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#lit2http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#musichttp://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#philhttp://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#lit2http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#musichttp://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#philhttp://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/archive/zhdanovlit.htm#lit1


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;he speech on philosoph7 was deli!ered at a philosophical conerence called

to re!iew =. Aleandro!8s tetoo on the histor7 o philosoph7.

;he translations were prepared and edited 7 @leanor Fo" Stella acson and

arold C. Feldt or the Societ7 or C'lt'ral %elations with the U.S.S.%.

On literature

I

Speech at the First All-Union Congress of Soviet Writers, !"#

Co4rades" per4it 4e to ring to the irst Congress o So!iet Writers and

thro'gh the Congress to all writers in the So!iet Union at the head o who4stands the great proletarian writer ai4 =or7" ardent 6olshe!i greetings

on ehal o the Central Co44ittee o the Co44'nist art7 o the U.S.S.%.and o the Co'ncil o eople8s Co44issars.

Co4rades" 7o'r congress 4eets at a ti4e when the 'nda4ental diic'ltiesacing 's on the path o socialist constr'ction ha!e alread7 een o!erco4e" at

a ti4e when o'r co'ntr7 has inished la7ing the o'ndations o a socialist

econo47" all o which is lined with the !ictor7 o the policies oind'strialisation and the 'ilding 'p o state and collecti!e ar4s.

Bo'r congress 4eets at a ti4e when the socialist wa7 o lie has

incontro!ertil7 and inall7 tri'4phed" thans to the leadership o theCo44'nist art7" g'ided 7 Co4rade Stalin" that geni's and o'r leader and

teacher.

o!ing consistentl7 ro4 stage to stage" ro4 !ictor7 to !ictor7" ro4 the

ires o the ci!il war to the period o restoration and thence to the socialistreconstr'ction o the whole national econo47" o'r art7 has ro'ght the

co'ntr7 to !ictor7 o!er the capitalist ele4ents" which ha!e een o'sted ro4e!er7 sphere o the national econo47.

;he U.S.S.% has eco4e an ad!anced ind'strial co'ntr7 and a co'ntr7 withthe greatest socialist agric'lt're in the world. ;he U.S.S.%. has eco4e a

co'ntr7 o ad!anced socialist c'lt're" a co'ntr7 in which o'r So!iet c'lt're isde!eloping and growing" etched in rilliant colo'rs.

;he parasite classes ha!e een done awa7 with" 'ne4plo74ent and thepa'peris4 o !illages are non-eistent" cit7 sl'4s ha!e disappeared" eca'se


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the socialist s7ste4 has een !ictorio's in o'r co'ntr7. ;he entire ace o the

So!iet land has changed. eople8s conscio'sness has radicall7 altered.Worers and collecti!e ar4ers" the 'ilders o socialis4" ha!e eco4e the

celerities o o'r land.

;he strengthening o the internal and eternal position o the So!iet Union"

the growth o its international i4portance and a'thorit7" its signiicance as ashoc-rigade or the world proletariat and a power'l 'lwar o the co4ing

world proletarian re!ol'tion" are all !er7 closel7 lined with the !ictories osocialis4 in o'r co'ntr7. At the 1,th art7 Congress" Co4rade Stalin 4ade an

'ns'rpassed and rilliant anal7sis o o'r !ictories and the reasons or the4"and o o'r position at the present ti4e. e laid down a progra44e o 'rther

wor or co4pleting the 'ilding o a classless socialist societ7.

Co4rade Stalin 4ade an etensi!e anal7sis o acward sectors o o'r worand o diic'lties" to o!erco4e which o'r art7 carries on an 'nceasing dail7str'ggle" leading the 4an7 4illions o the woring class and o the collecti!e

ar4 peasantr7. It is i4perati!e to p't an end to the acwardness o s'chi4portant ranches o the national econo47 as rail and water transport< goods

t'rno!er and non-erro's 4etall'rg7. Li!estoc reeding" eing one o the4ost i4portant ranches o o'r socialist agric'lt're" 4'st e de!eloped.

Co4rade Stalin thoro'ghl7 eposed the root ca'ses o o'r diic'lties andshortco4ings. ;he7 deri!e ro4 the act that organisational and practical wor

are not eeping pace with the re:'ire4ents o the art78s political line and thede4ands arising ro4 the carr7ing o't o the Second Fi!e-Bear lan. ;hat was

wh7 the 1,th art7 Congress raised in all its a4plit'de the tas o ringingo'r organisational wor to the le!el o the 4ight7 political tass acing 's.

Under the leadership o Co4rade Stalin" the art7 is organising the 4asses orthe str'ggle to destro7 capitalist ele4ents once and or all" to eradicate the

!estiges o capitalis4 in o'r econo47 and in people8s 4inds" and to co4pletethe technical reconstr'ction o o'r national econo47. ;he eradication o

!estiges o capitalis4 in people8s conscio'sness 4eans str'ggle against e!er7!estige o o'rgeois inl'ence o!er the proletariat" against lait7" ri!olit7 or

idling" against pett7-o'rgeois licence and indi!id'alis4" against grat anddishonest7 towards social propert7.

We hold a tr'st7 weapon to o!erco4e all the diic'lties in o'r path. ;hisweapon is the great and in!incile teaching o ar" @ngels" Lenin and Stalin"

now eing p't into practice 7 o'r art7. ;heir great anner is tri'4phant andit is to that tri'4ph that we owe the asse4l7 o this irst congress o So!iet

writers. ad there een no s'ch !ictor7 there wo'ld ha!e een no congress.

nl7 6olshe!is co'ld ring together s'ch a congress.


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;he s'ccesses o So!iet literat're are conditioned 7 the s'ccesses o socialist

constr'ction. ;he growth o So!iet literat're relects the s'ccesses andachie!e4ents o o'r socialist s7ste4. 'r literat're is the 7o'ngest o all the

literat'res o all co'ntries and peoples. At the sa4e ti4e" it has the greatestidea-content and it is the 4ost ad!anced and re!ol'tionar7.

;here does not eist and ne!er has eisted an7 literat're other than So!ietliterat're to organise the woring people and the oppressed in a str'ggle to

destro7 'tterl7 an7 and e!er7 ind o eploitation and to shae o the 7oe owage sla!er7.

;here is not and ne!er has een a literat're 4aing its asic s'>ect-4atter thelie o the woring class and the peasantr7 and their str'ggle or socialis4.

;here does not eist in an7 co'ntr7 in the world a literat're to deend and

protect the e:'alit7 or rights o the woring people o all nations anti thee:'alit7 o rights o wo4en. ;here is not" nor can there e in an7 o'rgeoisco'ntr7" a literat're to wage consistent war on all osc'rantis4" 47sticis4"

hierarchic religio's attit'des and threats o hell-ire" as o'r literat're does.

$nly Soviet literature could %eco&e and has in fact %eco&e such anadvanced, thought-i&%ued literature' (t is one flesh and %lood )ith our

socialist construction'

So!iet writers ha!e alread7 written a good n'4er o talented oos" correctl7

and tr'th'll7 depicting the lie o o'r So!iet land. We alread7 ha!e se!eralna4es o who4 we 4a7 e >'stl7 pro'd. ;he great od7 o So!iet a'thors is

now 'sed with the So!iet power and the art7" ha!ing the aid o art7g'idance and the care and dail7 assistance o the Central Co44ittee and the'nceasing s'pport o Co4rade Stalin. All the contradiction etween o'r

s7ste4 ? that o !ictorio's socialis4 ? and the d7ing" deca7ing capitalists7ste4" can e disting'ished with the greatest clarit7 in the light o the

s'ccesses o o'r So!iet literat're.

What can the o'rgeois writer write or thin o" where can he ind passion" i

the worer in the capitalist co'ntries is not s're o his to4orrow" does notnow whether he will ha!e wor" i the peasant does not now whether hewill e woring on his it o land or thrown on the scrap heap 7 a capitalist

crisis" i the woring intellect'al is o't o wor toda7 and does not nowwhether he will ha!e wor to4orrowD

What can the o'rgeois a'thor write ao't" what so'rce o inspiration canthere e or hi4" when the world" ro4 one da7 to the net" 4a7 e pl'nged

once 4ore into the a7ss o a new i4perialist warD


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;he present position o o'rgeois literat're is s'ch that it is alread7 incapale

o prod'cing great wors. The decline and decay of %ourgeois literaturederive fro& the decline and decay of the capitalist syste& and are a feature

and aspect characteristic of the present condition of %ourgeois culture andliterature. ;he da7s when o'rgeois literat're" relecting the !ictories o the

o'rgeois s7ste4 o!er e'dalis4" was in the he7-da7 o capitalis4 capale ocreating great wors" ha!e gone" ne!er to ret'rn. ;oda7 a degeneration in

s'>ect 4atter" in talents" in a'thors and in heroes" is in progress.

ortall7 araid o the proletarian re!ol'tion" ascis4 is wreaing !engeance

on ci!ilisation" dragging 4en ac to the darest and 4ost araric periods oh'4an histor7" throwing on to the onires and araricall7 destro7ing the

wors o so4e o the inest 4en h'4anit7 has prod'ced.

A riot o 47sticis4" religio's 4ania and pornograph7 is characteristic o thedecline and deca7 o o'rgeois c'lt're. ;he (celerities+ o that o'rgeoisliterat're which has sold its pen to capital are toda7 thie!es" detecti!es"

prostit'tes" pi4ps and gangsters.

All this is characteristic o the section o literat're that sees to conceal the

deca7 o the o'rgeois s7ste4" sees in !ain to pro!e that nothing hashappened" that e!er7thing is as it sho'ld e (in the state o Een4ar+ and that

there is as 7et no deca7 in the capitalist str'ct're. ;he o'rgeois writers whoeel the state o aairs 4ore ac'tel7 are steeped in pessi4is4" 'ncertaint7 as

to the 4orrow" praising the dar night" and la'ding pessi4is4 as the theor7and practice o art. And it is onl7 a s4all section ? the 4ost honest and ar-

sighted o the writers ? who are seeing to ind a wa7 o't along other paths" inother directions" lining their ate with the proletariat and its re!ol'tionar7

str'ggle.

;he proletariat o the capitalist co'ntries is alread7 orging its ar47 o writers

and artists ? re!ol'tionar7 writers" the representati!es o who4 we are glad toe ale to welco4e here toda7 at the irst So!iet Writers8 Congress. ;he

n'4er o re!ol'tionar7 writers in the capitalist co'ntries is still s4all 't it isgrowing and will grow with e!er7 da78s sharpening o the class str'ggle" with

the growing strength o the world proletarian re!ol'tion.

We are fir&ly convinced that the fe) do*en foreign co&rades )e have)elco&ed here constitute the kernel, the e&%ryo, of a &ighty ar&y of

proletarian )riters to %e created %y the )orld proletarian revolution inforeign countries.

S'ch is the position in the capitalist co'ntries. ;he opposite is tr'e o o'r

co'ntr7. 'r So!iet writer draws the 4aterial or his wor" his s'>ect 4atterand characters" his literar7 lang'age and words" ro4 the lie and eperience


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o the people o Enieprostroi and agnitostroi" ro4 the heroic epic o

the Chelyuskinepedition" ro4 the eperience o o'r collecti!e ar4s" ro4the creati!e wor now in 'll swing in the o'r corners o o'r land.

In o'r co'ntr7 the 4ain heroes o a literar7 wor are the acti!e 'ilders o thenew lie ? 4en and wo4en worers and collecti!e ar4ers" art7 and state

worers" engineers" o4so4ols" ioneers. ;hese are the 4ain t7pes andheroes o o'r So!iet literat're. 'r literat're is i4'ed with enth'sias4 and

herois4. It is an opti4istic literat're" not" it sho'ld e said" in an7 p'rel7ph7sical sense o (inner+ eeling. It is a 'nda4entall7 opti4istic literat're"

since it is the literat're o the rising proletarian class" toda7 the onl7progressi!e and ad!anced class. 'r So!iet literat're is strong eca'se it

ser!es a new ca'se ? the ca'se o socialist constr'ction.

Co4rade Stalin has called o'r writers" (engineers o the h'4an so'l+. Whatdoes this 4eanD What oligations does s'ch an appellation p't 'pon 7o'D

It 4eans" in the irst place" that 7o' 4'st now lie to e ale to depict it

tr'th'll7 in artistic creations" to depict it neither (scholasticall7+ norlielessl7" nor si4pl7 as (o>ecti!e realit7+" 't rather as realit7 in its

re!ol'tionar7 de!elop4ent. ;he tr'th'lness and historical eactit'de o theartistic i4age 4'st e lined with the tas o ideological transor4ation" o

the ed'cation o the woring people in the spirit o socialis4. ;his 4ethod iniction and literar7 criticis4 is what we call the 4ethod o socialist realis4.

'r So!iet literat're is not araid o eing called tendentio's" or in the epoch

o class str'ggle there is not and cannot e an7 classless" non-tendentio's and(apolitical+ literat're.

And it see4s to 4e that an7 and e!er7 So!iet writer 4a7 sa7 to an7 d'll-witted o'rgeois" to an7 philistine or to an7 o'rgeois writers who spea o

the tendentio'sness o o'r literat'reG (Bes" o'r So!iet literat're is tendentio'sand we are pro'd o it" or o'r tendentio'sness is to ree the woring people ?

and the whole o 4anind ? ro4 the 7oe o capitalist sla!er7.+

;o e an engineer o the h'4an so'l is to stand o'r-s:'are on real lie. And

this in t'rn 4eans a rea with old-st7le ro4anticis4" with the ro4anticis4which depicted a non-eistent lie and non-eistent heroes" drawing the reader

awa7 ro4 the contradictions and shacles o lie into an 'nrealisale and'topian world. %o4anticis4 is not alien to o'r literat're" a literat're standing

ir4l7 on a 4aterialist asis" 't o'rs is a ro4anticis4 o a new t7pe"re!ol'tionar7 ro4anticis4.

We sa7 that socialist realis4 is the 'nda4ental 4ethod o So!iet iction andliterat're criticis4" and this i4plies that re!ol'tionar7 ro4anticis4 will


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appear as an integral part o an7 literar7 creation" since the whole lie o o'r

art7" o the woring class and its str'ggle" is a 'sion o the hardest" 4ost4atter-o-act practical wor" with the greatest herois4 and the !astest

perspecti!es. ;he strength o o'r art7 has alwa7s lain in the act that it has'nited and 'nites eicienc7 and practicalit7 with road !ision" with an

incessant orward stri!ing and the str'ggle to 'ild a co44'nist societ7G

Soviet literature &ust %e a%le to portray our heroes and to see our to&orro)'

This )ill not %e utopian since our to&orro) is %eing prepared %y planned andconscious )ork today'

ne cannot e an engineer o the h'4an so'l witho't sill in writing" and it isnecessar7 to note that the writer8s techni:'e has 4an7 speciic characteristics.

Bo' ha!e 4an7 weapons at 7o'r disposal. So!iet literat're has e!er7

opport'nit7 o 'sing all these weapons genres" st7les" or4s and 4ethods oliterar7 creation3 in all their !ariet7 and 'llness" in seeing to 4ae 'se o allthe inest that has een created in this sphere 7 all pre!io's epochs. Fro4 this

standpoint" 4aster7 o techni:'e and critical assi4ilation o the literar7heritage o e!er7 epoch are tass that 4'st e eec'ted i 7o' are to eco4e

engineers o the h'4an so'l.

Co4rades" the proletariat is the sole heir o the est in the treas're ho'se o

world literat're" as in other spheres o 4aterial and spirit'al c'lt're. ;heo'rgeoisie has s:'andered the literar7 heritage and we 4'st ring it together

again care'll7" st'd7 it and then" ha!ing criticall7 assi4ilated it" 4o!eorward.

;o e an engineer o the h'4an so'l 4eans ighting acti!el7 or crats4anshipin words" :'alit7 in wor. 'r literat're is not 7et 4eeting the de4ands o o'r

epoch. ;he weanesses in o'r literat're relect the act that conscio'sness islagging ehind econo4ic lie" a state o aairs ro4 which" o!io'sl7" o'r

writers are not ee4pt. ;hat is wh7 'nceasing wor on ed'cating the4sel!esand i4pro!ing their ideological weapons in the spirit o socialis4 are the

indispensale conditions witho't which So!iet writers cannot change theconscio'sness o their readers and th's e engineers o the h'4an so'l.

We need great sill in o'r creati!e wors and in this respect the help o Aleei

ai4o!ich =or7 is in!al'ale ? in!al'ale the help he gi!es the part7 andthe proletariat in the str'ggle or :'alit7 in literat're" or crats4anship inlang'age.

So!iet writers ha!e thereore all the necessar7 conditions or creating wors

worth7 o o'r epoch" wors ro4 which conte4poraries 4a7 learn" and wors

or 't're generations to tae pride in.


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All the conditions or So!iet literat're to prod'ce wors worth7 o the ad'lt

and 4at're 4asses ha!e now een created. Ater all" it is onl7 o'r literat'rewhich is ale to e so closel7 lined with its readers and with the whole lie o

the woring people as is the case in the U.S.S.%. ;his present congress ispartic'larl7 re!ealing. ;he congress was not prepared 7 writers alone. ;he

whole co'ntr7 prepared it with the4. In this preparator7 wor there wereplainl7 apparent the tr'e s74path7 with which So!iet writers are s'rro'nded

7 the art7" the worers and collecti!e ar4 peasantr7 and also the de4andsthe woring class and the collecti!e ar4ers 4ae o So!iet writers.

In o'r co'ntr7 alone are literat're and the writer raised to s'ch heights.

rganise the wor o 7o'r congress and the 't're wor o the Union o

So!iet Writers" so that the wor o the writers accords with the socialist

!ictories achie!ed.

Create )orks of great crafts&anship, of profound ideological and artistic

content,

+e the &ost active organisers of the re&oulding of peoples consciousness in

the spirit of socialis&'

Stand in the front ranks of the fighters, for a classless socialist society

II

.eport on the /ournals 01ve*da2 and 03eningrad2, !#4

istaes o two Leningrad >o'rnals

It is clear ro4 the Central Co44ittee8s decision that1ve*dasworst 4istae

has een that o allowing the writings o )oshcheno and Ah4ato!a toappear in its pages. It is" I thin" hardl7 necessar7 or 4e to instance

)oshcheno8s (wor+ The Adventures of a Monkey'Bo' ha!e certainl7 allread it and now it etter than I do. ;he point o this (wor+ o )oshcheno8s

is that in it he portra7s So!iet people as la*7" 'nattracti!e" st'pid and cr'de.e is in no wa7 concerned with their lao'r" their eorts" their herois4" their

high social and 4oral :'alities. e ne!er so 4'ch as 4entions these. echooses" lie the cheap philistine he is" to scratch ao't in lie8s asenesses

and pettinesses. ;his is no accident. It is intrinsic in all cheap philistine

writers" o who4 )oshcheno is one. =or7 oten 'sed to spea o this< 7o'will re4e4er how" at the 19#$ Congress o So!iet Writers" he stig4atised the


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so-called literatiwho can see no 'rther than the soot on the itchen range and

in the oiler roo4.

The Adventures of a Monkeyis not a thing apart ro4 the general r'n o

)oshcheno8s stories. It is 4erel7 as the 4ost !i!id epression o all thenegati!e :'alities in his (literar7 wor+ that it has attracted the critics8

attention. Since he ret'rned to Leningrad ater the e!ac'ation" he has" wenow" written se!eral things de4onstrating his inailit7 to ind an7thing

positi!e whate!er in the lie o So!iet people or an7 positi!e character a4ongthe4. e is in the hait o >eering at So!iet lie" wa7s and people" as he does

in The Adventure of a Monkey" and o concealing his >eers ehind a 4as oe4pt7-headed entertain4ent and pointless h'4o'r.

I 7o' tae the tro'le to read hisAdventures of a Monkey4ore closel7 7o'

will ind that he 4aes the 4one7 act as a s'pre4e >'dge o o'r socialc'sto4s" a dictator o 4oralit7 to So!iet people. ;he 4one7 is depicted as anintelligent creat're capale o assessing h'4an eha!io'r. ;he writer

delieratel7 caricat'res the lie o So!iet people as 'nattracti!e and cheap" soas to ha!e the 4one7 pass the >'dg4ent" ilth7" poisono's and anti-So!iet as

it is" that li!ing in the *oo is etter than eing at liert7" that 7o' can draw7o'r reath 4ore reel7 in a cage than a4ong So!iet people.

Is it possile to all 4orall7 and politicall7 lower than thisD ow can thepeople o Leningrad tolerate s'ch r'ish and !'lgarit7 in the pages o their

>o'rnalsD

;he Leningraders in charge o1ve*da4'st indeed e lacing in !igilance i a(wor+ o this sort is oered to the >o'rnal8s So!iet readers" i it is o'nd

possile to p'lish wors steeped in the !eno4 o estial en4it7 towards the

So!iet order. nl7 the sc'4 o the literar7 world co'ld write s'ch (wors+"and onl7 the lind" the apolitical co'ld allow the4 to appear.

)oshcheno8s stor7 is said to ha!e gone the ro'nds o Leningrad8s !ariet7

halls. ;he leadership o ed'cational wor in Leningrad 4'st ha!e allen to a

low le!el indeed or s'ch a thing to e possile.

)oshcheno has 4anaged to ind a niche or hi4sel in the pages o ani4portant Leningrad >o'rnal and to pop'larise his loathso4e (4oral lessons+

there. And 7et1ve*dais a >o'rnal p'rporting to ed'cate o'r 7o'ng people. Isthat a tas to e coped with 7 a >o'rnal that has taen a low 'n-So!iet writer

lie )oshcheno to its heartD Is1ve*daseditorial oard 'naware o what heisD

It is not so long ago ? earl7 19$$" in act ? that +olshevikp'lished an articlesharpl7 critical o )oshcheno8s oo+efore Sunrise,which was written at


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the height o the So!iet people8s war o lieration against the =er4an

in!aders. In this oo )oshcheno t'rns his low" cheap little sel inside o't"and delights to ehiit hi4sel to the p'lic ga*e< indeed" he does it with

g'sto" cr7ingG See what an oa I a4H

It wo'ld e hard to ind in o'r literat're an7thing 4ore re!olting than the

(lesson+ )oshcheno teaches in this oo"+efore Sunrise" where he portra7shi4sel and others as lewd and rep'lsi!e easts with neither sha4e nor

conscience. S'ch was the (lesson+ he oered So!iet readers when o'r peoplewere shedding their lood in an 'nprecedentedl7 itter war" when the lie o

the So!iet state h'ng 7 a thread" when the So!iet people were 4aingco'ntless sacriices to deeat the =er4ans. Far in the rear" entrenched in

Al4a-Ata" )oshcheno was doing nothing to help.+olshevikp'licl7castigated hi4" and rightl7" as a low slanderer ha!ing no place in So!iet

literat're.

6't he snapped his ingers at p'lic opinion. Less than two 7ears later" riend

)oshcheno str'ts ac to Leningrad and starts 4aing ree 'se o the pageso the Leningrad >o'rnals. ot onl71ve*da't3eningrad" too" welco4ed his

stories. Jariet7 concert halls were rapidl7 4ade a!ailale. oreo!er" he wasallowed to occ'p7 a leading position in the Leningrad section o the Union o

So!iet Writers and to pla7 an acti!e part in the literar7 aairs o Leningrad.

What gro'nds ha!e 7o' or letting hi4 roa4 at will thro'gh the pars and

gardens o Leningrad literat'reD Wh7 ha!e Leningrad8s acti!e art7 worersand the Leningrad Writers8 Union allowed s'ch sha4e'l things to occ'rD

)oshcheno8s thoro'ghl7 rotten and corr'pt social" political and literar7attit'de does not res'lt ro4 an7 recent transor4ation. ;here is nothing

accidental ao't his latest (wors+. ;he7 are si4pl7 the contin'ation o hisliterar7 (legac7+ dating ro4 the twenties.

Who was he in the pastD e was one o the organisers o the literar7 gro'p

nown as the Serapion 6rothers. And when the Serapion 6rothers gro'p was

or4ed" what was he lie sociall7 and politicall7D Let 4e t'rn to3iteraturniye1apiski#" 19KK3 where the o'nders o this gro'p epo'nded their creed.;his >o'rnal contains" a4ong other things" )oshcheno8s credo" in an article

entitled (Ao't 7sel and a Few ther ;hings+. 'ite 'nasha4ed" hep'licl7 eposes hi4sel and states his political and literar7 (!iews+ with the't4ost ranness. Listen to what he sa7sG

(MIt is !er7 diic'lt to e a writer" on the whole. ;ae this 'siness o

ideolog7M Writers are epected to ha!e an ideolog7 nowada7sM What a

oreH ow can I ha!e an7 Ndeinite ideolog78" tell 4e" when no art7 reall7attracts 4eD Fro4 the art7 4e4ers8 point o !iew I a4 not a 4an o


11/67

principle. What o itD For 47 part" I 4a7 sa7G I a4 not a Co44'nist" nor a

Socialist-%e!ol'tionar7" nor a onarchist" 't 4erel7 a %'ssian and apoliticall7 a4oral one" at that.... onest to =od" I don8t now to this da7 what

art7" well" ='cho!... sa7" elongs to. ea!en nows what part7 he8s in< Inow he isn8t a 6olshe!i" 't whether he8s a Socialist-%e!ol'tionar7 or a

Cadet I neither now nor care.+ And so on and so orth.

What do 7o' 4ae o that sort o (ideolog7+D ;went7-i!e 7ears ha!e passed

since )oshcheno p'lished this (conession+ o his. as he changed sinceDot so that 7o' wo'ld notice it. ot onl7 has he neither learned an7thing nor

changed in an7 wa7 in the last two and a hal decades" 't with c7nicalranness he contin'es" on the contrar7" to re4ain the apostle o e4pt7-

headedness and cheapness" a literar7 sl'4-rat" 'nprincipled andconscienceless. ;hat is to sa7" now as then he cares nothing or So!iet wa7s"

now as then he has no place in So!iet literat're and opposes it.

I he has ne!ertheless eco4e so4ething approaching a literar7 star in

Leningrad" i his praises are s'ng on Leningrad8s arnass's" we can 't4ar!el at the lac o principle" o strictness" o discri4ination" in the people

who pa!ed the wa7 or hi4 and appla'ded hi4.

Allow 4e to instance one 4ore ill'stration o what the Serapion 6rothers" so-

called" were lie. In the sa4e iss'e o3iteraturniye 1apiski#. 19KK3 anotherSerapionist" Le! L'nts" also tried to epo'nd the ideological asis o the

har4'l trend represented 7 the Serapion 6rothers" which is alien to the spirito So!iet literat're. L'nts wroteG

(We gathered together at a ti4e o great political and re!ol'tionar7 tension.Ne who is not with 's is against 's8" we were told on all hands. NWho are 7o'

with" Serapion 6rothers8" we were ased" Nwith the Co44'nists or againstthe4" or the re!ol'tion or against itD8 And so" who are we with" Serapion

6rothersD We are with the her4it Serapion. icialdo4 has r'led %'ssianliterat're too long and too pain'll7. We do not want 'tilitarianis4. We do not

write or propaganda p'rposes. Art is real" lie lie itsel" and lie lie it eistseca'se it 4'st" witho't p'rpose or 4eaning.+

S'ch was the role allotted to art 7 the Serapion 6rothers" depri!ing it o all

ideological content or social signiicance< the7 proclai4ed the non-ideologicalnat're o art" de4anding art or art8s sae" witho't p'rpose or 4eaning. ;his isnothing 't a plea or philistinis4" s'pericialit7 and lac o political elie.

What concl'sion does this lead toD )oshcheno does not lie So!iet wa7sG so

what wo'ld 7o' ad!ise 's to doD Adapt o'rsel!es to hi4D It is not or 's to

change o'r tastes. It is not or 's to alter o'r lie and o'r order to s'it hi4. Let


12/67

hi4 change< and i he will not" let hi4 get o't o So!iet literat're" in which

there can e no place or 4eaningless" cheap" e4pt7-headed wors.

;his was the Central Co44ittee8s starting point in adopting its decisions

on1ve*daand3eningrad.

I will now t'rn to the literar7 (wor+ o Anna Ah4ato!a. er wors ha!eeen appearing in the Leningrad >o'rnals recentl7 as an ea4ple o (increasedo'tp't+. ;his is as s'rprising and 'nnat'ral as it wo'ld e i so4eone were to

start iss'ing new editions o the wors o ere*ho!s7" J7achesla!" I!ano!"ihail '*4in" Andrei 6el7" )inaida ippi's" F7odor Solog'" )ino!7e!a-

Annial" and so on and so orth< that is" o all the writers who4 o'r ad!ancedp'lic and literar7 circles ha!e alwa7s considered to e representati!es o

reactionar7 osc'rantis4 and perid7 in art and politics.

=or7 once said that the ten 7ears ro4 190, to 191, 4ight well e called the4ost sha4e'l" the 4ost arren decade in the histor7 o %'ssian intellect'alsect-4atter is indi!id'alistic to the core. ;he range o her

poetr7 is sadl7 li4ited< it is the poetr7 o a spoilt wo4an-aristocrat" ren*iedl7!acillating etween o'doir and chapel. er 4ain e4phasis is on erotic lo!e-

the4es interwo!en with notes o sadness" longing" death" 47sticis4" atalit7.A sense o atalit7 :'ite co4prehensile in a d7ing gro'p3" the dis4al tones

o a deathed hopelessness" 47stical eperiences shot with eroticis4" 4ae 'pAh4ato!a8s spirit'al world< she is a let-o!er ro4 the world o the old

aristocrac7 now irre!ocal7 past and gone" the world o (Catherine8s good oldda7s+. It wo'ld e hard to sa7 whether she is a n'n or a allen wo4an< etter

perhaps sa7 she is a it o each" her desires and her pra7ers intertwined.

0+ut ( vo) %y the garden of angels,

+y the &iraculous icon ( vo),( vo) %y the child of our passion'''2

? ro4Anno 7o&ini" 7 Anna Ah4ato!a.

S'ch is Ah4ato!a" with her pett7" narrow personal lie" her paltr7

eperiences" and her religio'sl7 47stical eroticis4.

er poetr7 is ar re4o!ed ro4 the people. It is the poetr7 o the ten tho'sand

4e4ers o the elite societ7 o the old aristocratic %'ssia. whose ho'r haslong since str'c and let the4 with nothing to do 't sigh or (the good old

da7s+" or the co'ntr7 estates o Catherine8s ti4e" with their a!en'es oancient li4e trees" their o'ntains" their stat'es" their arches" their

greenho'ses" s'44er-ho'ses and cr'4ling coats o ar4s" or aristocratic St.eters'rg" or ;sarso7e Selo" or the railwa7 station in a!lo!s" and or

other relics o the noilit78s c'lt're. All o these ha!e !anished into theirredee4ale past. ;he ew representati!es o this c'lt're" so oreign to the

spirit o the people" who ha!e 7 so4e 4iracle li!ed on into o'r own ti4es"can do nothing 't sh't the4sel!es 'p in the4sel!es and li!e with

chi4eras. 0All has %een plundered, %etrayed and sold2" writes Ah4ato!a.

sip andelsta4" a pro4inent Ac4eist" wrote this" not long eore the

re!ol'tion" on the social" political and literar7 ideals o this little gro'pG (;he

Ac4eists share their lo!e o organis4 and organisation with theph7siologicall7 perect iddle Ages....+ (;he iddle Ages" with their own


14/67

pec'liar wa7 o esti4ating a 4an8s relati!e weight" elt and recognised it in

e!er7 indi!id'al irrespecti!e o 4erit....+ (Bes" @'rope once passed thro'gh ala7rinth o iligree-ine c'lt're" when astract eing" personal eistence"

wholl7 'nadorned" was !al'ed as an o'tstanding achie!e4ent. ;his ga!e riseto the aristocratic inti4ac7 inding e!er7od7" so oreign to the spirit o

Ne:'alit7 and raternit78 o the great re!ol'tionM+ (;he iddle Ages are dearto 's eca'se the7 had so highl7 de!eloped a sense o o'ndaries and di!iding

line....+ (A nole 4it're o rationalit7 and 47sticis4" and a perception o theworld as a li!ing e:'iliri'4" 4ae 's eel a inship with this age and pro4pt

's to draw strength ro4 the wors that appeared on %o4ance soil ao't the7ear 1K00.+

;hese state4ents o andelsta48s contain the Ac4eists8 hopes and ideals.(6ac to the iddle Ages+ was the social idea o this aristocratic-salon gro'p.

(6ac to the 4one7+ chor'ses )oshcheno. Incidentall7" the Ac4eists andthe Serapion 6rothers are o the sa4e descent. ;heir co44on ancestor was

o4an" one o the o'nders o aristocratic-salon decadence and 47sticis4.

Where was the need to pop'larise Ah4ato!a8s poetr7 all o a s'ddenD What

has she to do with So!iet peopleD What need is there to oer a literar7 p'lpitto all these deeatist and 'n-So!iet literar7 trendsD

We now ro4 the histor7 o %'ssian literat're that the reactionar7 literar7trends to which the S74olists and the Ac4eists elonged tried ti4e and ti4e

again to start a cr'sade against the great re!ol'tionar7-de4ocratic tradition o%'ssian literat're and against its ore4ost representati!es" tried to depri!e

literat're o its high ideological and social signiicance and to drag it downinto the 4orass o 4eaninglessness and cheapness.

All these (ashionale+ trends ha!e een eng'led and 'ried with the classeswhose ideolog7 the7 relected. What" in o'r So!iet literat're" has re4ained o

all these S74olists" Ac4eists" Bellow Shirts" acs-o-Eia4ondsand8ichevoki(othingers+3D othing whate!er" tho'gh their cr'sades

against the great representati!es o %'ssian re!ol'tionar7-de4ocraticliterat're" Eelins7" Eorol7'o!" Chern7she!s7" er*en" Salt7o!-

Shchedrin" were la'nched noisil7 and pretentio'sl7 and >'st as noisil7 ailed.

;he Ac4eists proclai4ed it their 4otto (not to i4pro!e lie in an7 wa7whate!er nor to ind'lge in criticis4 o it+. Wh7 were the7 against i4pro!inglie in an7 wa7 whate!erD 6eca'se the7 lied the old o'rgeois-aristocratic

lie" whereas the re!ol'tionar7 people were preparing to dist'r this lie otheirs. In o!e4er 191, oth the r'ling classes and their theoreticians and

singers were pitched into the d'stin o histor7.


15/67

And now" in the twent7-ninth 7ear o the socialist re!ol'tion" certain 4'se'4

speci4ens reappear all o a s'dden and start teaching o'r 7o'ng people howto li!e. ;he pages o a Leningrad >o'rnal are thrown wide open to Ah4ato!a

and she is gi!en carte %lancheto poison the 4inds o the 7o'ng people withthe har4'l spirit o her poetr7.

ne o the iss'es o3eningradcontains a ind o digest o the wors written7 Ah4ato!a etween 1909 and 19$$. A4ong the rest o the r'ish" there is

a poe4 she wrote d'ring e!ac'ation in the =reat atriotic War. In this poe4she descries her loneliness" the solit'de she has to share with a lac cat"

whose e7es looing at her are lie the e7es o the cent'ries. ;his is no newthe4eG Ah4ato!a wrote ao't a lac cat in 1909" too. ;his 4ood o solit'de

and hopelessness" which is oreign to the spirit o So!iet literat're" r'nsthro'gh the whole o Ah4ato!a8s wor.

What has this poetr7 in co44on with the interests o o'r state and peopleDothing whate!er. Ah4ato!a8s wor is a 4atter o the distant past< it is

oreign to So!iet lie and cannot e tolerated in the pages o o'r >o'rnals. 'rliterat're is no pri!ate enterprise designed to please the l'ct'ating tastes o

the literar7 4aret. We are certainl7 'nder no oligation to ind a place in o'rliterat're or tastes and wa7s that ha!e nothing in co44on with the 4oral

:'alities and attri'tes o So!iet people. What instr'cti!e !al'e can the worso Ah4ato!a ha!e or o'r 7o'ng peopleD ;he7 can do the4 nothing 't

har4. ;hese wors can sow nothing 't gloo4" low spirits" pessi4is4" a

desire to escape the !ital prole4s o social lie and t'rn awa7 ro4 the roadhighwa7 o social lie and acti!it7 into a narrow little world o personaleperiences. ow can the 'pringing o o'r 7o'ng people e entr'sted to herD

Bet her poe4s were readil7 printed" so4eti4es in1ve*daand so4eti4esin3eningrad" and were p'lished in !ol'4e or4. ;his was a serio's political

error.

It is onl7 nat'ral" in !iew o all this" that the wors o other writers" who were

also eginning to adopt an e4pt7-headed and deeatist tone" sho'ld ha!estarted to appear in the Leningrad >o'rnals. I a4 thining o wors s'ch as

those o Sado7e! and o4issaro!a. In so4e o their poe4s the7 i4itateAh4ato!a" c'lti!ating the 4ood o despondenc7" oredo4 and loneliness so

dear to her.

eedless to sa7" s'ch 4oods" or the etolling o the4" can eert onl7 a

negati!e inl'ence on o'r 7o'ng people and are o'nd to poison their 4indswith a !icio's spirit o e4pt7-headedness" despondenc7 and lac o political

conscio'sness.

What wo'ld ha!e happened i we had ro'ght o'r 7o'ng people 'p in a spirito despondenc7 and o diselie in o'r ca'seD We sho'ld not ha!e won the


16/67

=reat atriotic War. It is precisel7 eca'se the So!iet State" and o'r art7"

with the help o So!iet literat're" had ro'ght o'r 7o'ng people 'p in a spirito opti4is4 and with conidence in their own strength" that we were ale to

s'r4o'nt the tre4endo's diic'lties that aced 's in the 'ilding o socialis4and in deeating the =er4ans and the apanese.

What does this 4eanD It 4eans that 7 printing in its pages cheap andreactionar7 wors de!oid o proper ideas" side 7 side with good wors o rich

content and cheer'l tone"1ve*daeca4e a >o'rnal ha!ing no clear polic7" a>o'rnal helping o'r ene4ies to corr'pt o'r 7o'ng people. ;he strength o o'r

>o'rnals has alwa7s lain in their opti4istic re!ol'tionar7 trend" not ineclecticis4" e4pt7-headedness and lac o political

'nderstanding.1ve*daga!e its 'll sanction to propaganda in a!o'r o doingnothing.

;o 4ae 4atters worse" )oshcheno see4s to ha!e ac:'ired so 4'ch powerin the Leningrad writers8 organisation that he e!en 'sed to sho't down those

who disagreed with hi4 and threaten to la4poon his critics in one o hisorthco4ing wors. e eca4e a sort o literar7 dictator s'rro'nded 7 a

gro'p o ad4irers singing his praises.

Well 4a7 one as" on what gro'ndsD Wh7 did 7o' allow s'ch an 'nnat'ral

and reactionar7 thing as this to occ'rD

o wonder Leningrad8s literar7 >o'rnals started gi!ing space to cheap 4oderno'rgeois literat're ro4 the West. So4e o o'r 4en o letters egan looing

on the4sel!es as not the teachers 't the p'pils o pett7-o'rgeois writers"and egan to adopt an ose:'io's and awestr'c attit'de towards oreignliterat're. Is s'ch ose:'io'sness eco4ing in 's So!iet patriots who ha!e

'ilt 'p the So!iet order" which towers higher a h'ndredold" and is etter ah'ndredold" than an7 o'rgeois orderD Is ose:'io'sness towards the cheap

and philistine o'rgeois literat're o the West eco4ing in o'r ad!ancedSo!iet literat're" the 4ost re!ol'tionar7 in the worldD

Another serio's ailing in the wor o o'r writers is their ignoring o 4odernSo!iet s'>ects" which etra7s on the one hand a one-sided interest inhistorical s'>ects and on the other an atte4pt to write on 4eaningless" p'rel7

a4'sing s'>ects. ;o >'sti7 their ail're to eep pace with great 4odernSo!iet the4es" so4e writers 4aintain that the ti4e has co4e to gi!e the

people 4eaningless and (entertaining+ literat're" to stop othering ao't

literat're8s ideological content.

;his conception o o'r people" o their interests and re:'ire4ents" is entirel7

wrong. 'r people epect So!iet writers to 'nderstand and integrate the !asteperience the7 gained in the =reat atriotic War" to portra7 and integrate the


17/67

herois4 with which the7 are now woring to rehailitate the co'ntr78s

national econo47.

A ew words on the >o'rnal3eningradG )oshcheno8s position is e!en stronger

here than in1ve*da,as is Ah4ato!a8s too. 6oth o the4 ha!e eco4e acti!epowers in oth >o'rnals. ;h's3eningradis responsile or ha!ing p't its

pages at the disposal o s'ch cheap writers as )oshcheno and s'ch salonpoetesses as Ah4ato!a.

;he >o'rnal3eningradhas" howe!er" 4ade other 4istaes also.

For instance" tae the parod7 o9vgeny $neginwritten 7 one ha*in. ;hispiece is called The .eturn of $negin. It is said to e re:'entl7 recited on the

!ariet7 concert plator4s o Leningrad.

It is hard to 'nderstand wh7 the people o Leningrad allow their cit7 to e

!iliied ro4 a p'lic plator4 in s'ch a wa7 as ha*in !iliies it. ;he p'rposeo this (satire+ is not si4ple ridic'le o the things that happen to negin on

inding hi4sel in 4odern Leningrad. ;he point is that ha*in essa7s toco4pare o'r 4odern Leningrad with the St. eters'rg o 'shin8s da7" and

or the worse. %ead >'st a ew lines o this" (parod7+ attenti!el7. othing ino'r 4odern Leningrad pleases the a'thor. Sneering in 4alice and derision" he

slanders Leningrad and So!iet people. In his opinion" negin8s da7 was agolden age. @!er7thing is dierent nowG a ho'sing depart4ent has appeared"

and ration cards and per4its. =irls" those ethereal creat'res so 4'ch ad4iredo negin" now reg'late the traic and repair the Leningrad ho'ses and so on

and so orth. Let 4e :'ote >'st one passage ro4 this (parod7+G

'r poor dear @!gen7

6oarded a tra4.e!er had his enighted age nown

S'ch a 4eans o transportation.6't ate was ind to @!gen7o'rnal. ;he :'estion will e

settled 7 the s'ppl7 o notale literar7 wors. Sho'ld so 4an7 appear thatthere is no roo4 or the4 in one >o'rnal" a second and e!en a third 4a7 e

started< it all depends on the intellect'al and artistic :'alit7 o the wors

prod'ced 7 o'r Leningrad writers.


19/67

S'ch are the gra!e errors and ailings laid are and detailed in the resol'tion

o the Central Co44ittee o the Co44'nist art7 on the woro1ve*daand3eningrad.

Leninism and literature

What is the ca'se o these errors and ailingsD

It is that the editors o the said >o'rnals" o'r So!iet 4en o letters" and the

leaders o o'r ideological ront in Leningrad" ha!e orgotten so4e o theprincipal tenets o Leninis4 as regards literat're. an7 writers" and 4an7 o

those woring as responsile editors" or holding i4portant posts in theWriters8 Union" consider politics to e the 'siness o the =o!ern4ent or o

the Central Co44ittee. When it co4es to 4en o letters" engaging in politics

is no 'siness o theirs. I a 4an has done a good" artistic" ine piece owriting" his wor sho'ld e p'lished e!en tho'gh it contains !icio'sele4ents liale to con'se and poison the 4inds o o'r 7o'ng people.

We de4and that o'r co4rades" oth practicing writers and those in positionso literar7 leadership" sho'ld e g'ided 7 that witho't which the So!iet order

cannot li!e" that is to sa7" 7 politics" so that o'r 7o'ng people 4a7 e ro'ght'p not in the spirit o do-nothing and don8t care" 't in an opti4istic

re!ol'tionar7 spirit.

We now that Leninis4 e4odies all the inest traditions o the %'ssiannineteenth-cent'r7 re!ol'tionar7 de4ocrats and that o'r So!iet c'lt're deri!esro4 and is no'rished 7 the criticall7 assi4ilated c'lt'ral heritage o the past.

;hro'gh the lips o Lenin and Stalin o'r art7 has repeatedl7 recognised thetre4endo's signiicance in the ield o literat're o the great %'ssian

re!ol'tionar7 de4ocratic writers and critics 6elins7" Eorol7'o!"Chern7she!s7" Salt7o!-Shchedrin and lehano!. Fro4 6elins7 onward"

all the est representati!es o the re!ol'tionar7 de4ocratic %'ssianintellect'als ha!e deno'nced (p're art+ and (art or art8s sae+" and ha!e een

the spoes4en o art or the people" de4anding that art sho'ld ha!e a worth7ed'cational and social signiicance.

Art cannot c't itsel o ro4 the ate o the people. %e4e4er 6elins78sa4o's3etter to Gogol" in which the great critic" with all his nati!e passion"

castigated =ogol or his atte4pt to etra7 the ca'se o the people and go o!erto the side o the ;sar. Lenin called this letter one o the inest wors o the

'ncensored de4ocratic press" one that has preser!ed its tre4endo's literar7signiicance to this da7.


20/67

%e4e4er Eorol7'o!8s articles" in which the social signiicance o

literat're is so power'll7 shown. ;he whole o o'r %'ssian re!ol'tionar7de4ocratic >o'rnalis4 is i4'ed with a deadl7 hatred o the ;sarist order and

with the nole aspiration to ight or the people8s 'nda4ental interests" theirenlighten4ent" their c'lt're" their lieration ro4 the etters o the ;sarist

regi4e. A 4ilitant art ighting or the people8s inest ideals" that is how thegreat representati!es o %'ssian literat're en!isaged art and literat're.

Chern7she!s7" who co4es nearest o all the 'topian socialists to scientiicsocialis4 and whose wors were" as Lenin pointed o't" (indicati!e o the

spirit o the class str'ggle+" ta'ght 's that the tas o art was" esidesaording a nowledge o lie" to teach people how to assess correctl7 !ar7ing

social pheno4ena. Eorol7'o!" his co4panion-in-ar4s and closest riend"re4ared that (it is not lie that ollows literar7 standards" 't literat're that

adapts itsel to the trends o lie+" and strongl7 s'pported the principles orealis4" and the national cle4ent" in literat're" on the gro'nds that the asis o

art is lie" that lie is the so'rce o creati!e achie!e4ent and that art pla7s anacti!e part in social lie and in shaping social conscio'sness. Literat're"

according to Eorol7'o!" sho'ld ser!e societ7" sho'ld gi!e the peopleanswers to the 4ost 'rgent prole4s o the da7" sho'ld eep areast o the

ideas o its epoch.

arist literar7 criticis4" which carries on the great traditions o 6elins7"

Chern7she!s7 and Eorol7'o!" has alwa7s s'pported realistic art with a

social stand. lehano! did a great deal to show 'p the idealistic and'nscientiic concept o art and literat're and to deend the asic tenets o o'rgreat %'ssian re!ol'tionar7 de4ocrats" who ta'ght 's to regard literat're as a

4eans o ser!ing the people.

Lenin was the irst to state clearl7 what attit'de towards art and literat're

ad!anced social tho'ght sho'ld tae. Let 4e re4ind 7o' o the well-nownarticle"5arty $rganisation and 5arty 3iterature" which he wrote at the end o

1905" and in which he de4onstrated with characteristic orce'lness thatliterat're cannot 't ha!e a partisan adherence and that it 4'st or4 an

i4portant part o the general proletarian ca'se. All the principles on which thede!elop4ent o o'r So!iet literat're is ased are to e o'nd in this article.

(Literat're 4'st eco4e partisan literat're+" wrote Lenin. (;o oseto'rgeois c'sto4s" to oset the co44ercial o'rgeois press" to oset

o'rgeois literar7 careeris4 and sel-seeing" to oset Ngentle4anl7anarchis48 and proit-seeing" the socialist proletariat 4'st p't orward the

principle opartisanliterat're" 4'st de!elop this principle and carr7 it o't inthe co4pletest and 4ost integral or4.


21/67

(What is this principle o partisan literat'reD It is not 4erel7 that literat're

cannot" to the socialist proletariat" e a 4eans o proit to indi!id'als orgro'ps< all in all" literat're cannot e an indi!id'al 4atter di!orced ro4 the

general proletarian ca'se. Eown with the writers who thin the4sel!ess'per4enH Eown with non-partisan writersH Literat're 4'st eco4epart and

parcelo the general proletarian ca'seM.+

And 'rther" ro4 the sa4e articleG (It is not possile+ to li!e in societ7 and

re4ain ree o it. ;he reedo4 o the o'rgeois writer" artist or actor is 4erel7a 4ased dependence h7pocriticall7 4ased perhaps3 on the 4one7-ags" on

ries" on allowances.+

Leninis4 starts ro4 the pre4ise that o'r literat're cannot e apolitical"

cannot e (art or art8s sae+" 't is called 'pon to pla7 an i4portant and

leading part in social lie. ence deri!es the Leninist principle o partisanshipin literat're" one o Lenin8s 4ost i4portant contri'tions to the st'd7 oliterat're.

It ollows that the inest aspect o So!iet literat're is its carr7ing on o the esttraditions o nineteenth-cent'r7 %'ssian literat're" traditions estalished 7

o'r great re!ol'tionar7 de4ocrats 6elins7" Eorol7'o!" Chern7she!s7 andSalt7o!-Shchedrin" contin'ed 7 lehano! and scientiicall7 elaorated and

s'stantiated 7 Lenin and Stalin.

eraso! declared his poetr7 to e inspired 7 (the 'se o sorrow and!engeance+. Chern7she!s7 and Eorol7'o! regarded literat're as sacred

ser!ice to the people. Under the tsarist s7ste4" the inest representati!esa4ong the de4ocratic %'ssian intellect'als perished or these high and noleideas" or willingl7 rised sentences o eile and hard lao'r.

ow can these glorio's traditions e orgottenD ow can we pass the4 o!er"

how can we let the Ah4ato!as and the )oshchenos disse4inate thereactionar7 catchword (art or art8s sae+" how can we let the4" ehind their

4as o i4partialit7" i4pose ideas on 's that are alien to the spirit o the

So!iet peopleD

Leninis4 recognises the tre4endo's signiicance o o'r literat're as a 4eanso reor4ing societ7. Were o'r So!iet literat're to allow an7 alling o in its

tre4endo's ed'cational role" the res'lt wo'ld e retrogression" a ret'rn (to theStone Age+.

Co4rade Stalin has called o'r writers engineers o the h'4an so'l. ;hisdeinition has a proo'nd 4eaning. It speas o the enor4o's ed'cational

responsiilit7 So!iet writers ear" responsiilit7 or the training o So!iet7o'th" responsiilit7 or seeing to it that ad literar7 wor is not tolerated.


22/67

;here are people who ind it strange that the Central Co44ittee sho'ld ha!e

taen s'ch stringent 4eas'res as regards literat're. It is not what we areacc'sto4ed to. I 4istaes ha!e een allowed to occ'r in ind'strial

prod'ction" or i the prod'ction progra44e or cons'4er goods has not eencarried o't" or i the s'ppl7 o ti4er alls ehind sched'le" then it is

considered nat'ral or the people responsile to e p'licl7 repri4anded. 6'ti 4istaes ha!e een allowed to occ'r as regards the proper inl'encing o

h'4an so'ls" as regards the 'pringing o the 7o'ng" then s'ch 4istaes 4a7e tolerated. And 7et" is not this a itterer pill to swallow than the non-

'lil4ent o a prod'ction progra44e or the ail're to carr7 o't a prod'ctiontasD ;he p'rpose o the Central Co44ittee8s resol'tion is to ring the

ideological ront into line with all the other sectors o o'r wor.

n the ideological ront" serio's gaps and ailings ha!e recentl7 eco4e

apparent. S'ice it to re4ind 7o' o the acwardness o o'r cine4atic art"and o the wa7 o'r theatre repertoires ha!e got cl'ttered 'p with poor

dra4atic wors" not to 4ention what has een going onin1ve*daand3eningrad. ;he Central Co44ittee has een co4pelled to

interere and ir4l7 to set 4atters right. It has no right to deal gentl7 withthose who orget their d'ties with regard to the people" to the 'pringing o

o'r 7o'ng people. I we wish to draw o'r 4e4ers8 attention to :'estionsrelating to ideological wor and to set 4atters right in this ield" to estalish a

clear line in this wor" then we 4'st criticise the 4istaes and ailings inideological wor se!erel7" as eits So!iet people" as eit 6olshe!is. nl7

then shall we e ale to set 4atters right.

;here are 4en o letters who reason th'sG since d'ring the war" when ew

oos were printed" the people were h'ngr7 or reading 4atter" the reader willnow swallow an7thing" e!en tho'gh the la!o'r e a trile tainted. ;his is not

in act tr'e" and we cannot p't 'p with an7 old literat're that 4a7 e pal4edo on 's 7 'ndiscri4inating a'thors" editors and p'lishers. Fro4 So!iet

writers the So!iet people epect reliale ideological ar4a4ent" spirit'al oodto 'rther the 'lil4ent o constr'ction and rehailitation plans and to

pro4ote the de!elop4ent o o'r co'ntr78s national econo47. ;he So!ietpeople desire the satisaction o their c'lt'ral and ideological needs" and 4ae

great de4ands on 4en o letters.

E'ring the war orce o circ'4stances pre!ented 's ro4 satis7ing these !ital

needs. ;he people want to 'nderstand c'rrent e!ents. ;heir c'lt'ral andintellect'al le!el has risen. ;he7 are oten dissatisied with the :'alit7 o the

wors o art and literat're appearing in o'r co'ntr7. Certain literar7 worerson the ideological ront ha!e not 'nderstood this and are 'nwilling to do so.

;he tastes and de4ands o o'r people ha!e risen to a !er7 high le!el" andan7one who cannot or will not rise to this le!el is going to e let ehind. ;he


23/67

4ission o literat're is not 4erel7 to eep areast o the people8s de4ands 't

to e alwa7s in the !ang'ard. It is essential that literat're sho'ld de!elop thepeople8s tastes" raise their de4ands higher and higher still" enrich the4 with

new ideas and lead the4 orward. An7one who cannot eep pace with thepeople" satis7 their growing de4ands and cope with the tas o de!eloping

So!iet c'lt're" will ine!ital7 ind hi4sel no longer in de4and.

;he lac o ideological principles shown 7 leading worers

on1ve*daand3eningradhas led to a second serio's 4istae. Certain o o'rleading worers ha!e" in their relations with !ario's a'thors" set personal

interests" the interests o riendship" ao!e those o the political ed'cation othe So!iet people or these a'thors8 political tendencies. It is said that 4an7

ideologicall7 har4'l and ro4 a literar7 point o !iew wea prod'ctions areallowed to e p'lished eca'se the editor does not lie to h'rt the a'thor8s

eelings. In the e7es o s'ch worers it is etter to sacriice the interests o thepeople and o the state than to h'rt so4e a'thor8s eelings. ;his is an entirel7

wrong and politicall7 dangero's principle. It is lie swopping a 4illionro'les or a opec.

;he Central Co44ittee o the art7 points o't in its resol'tion the gra!edanger in s'stit'ting or relations ased on principle those ased on personal

riendship. ;he relations o personal riendship regardless o principlepre!ailing a4ong certain o o'r 4en o letters ha!e pla7ed a proo'ndl7

negati!e part" led to a alling o in the ideological le!el o 4an7 literar7

wors and 4ade it easier or this ield to e entered 7 persons oreign to thespirit o So!iet literat're. ;he asence o an7 criticis4 on the part o theleaders o the Leningrad ideological ront or o the editors o the Leningrad

>o'rnals has done a great deal o har4< the s'stit'tion o relations oriendship or those ased on principle has een 4ade at the epense o the

people8s interests.

Co4rade Stalin teaches 's that i we wish to conser!e o'r h'4an reso'rces" to

g'ide and teach the people" we 4'st not e araid o h'rting the eelings osingle indi!id'als or ear old" ran" o>ecti!e criticis4 o'nded on principle.

An7 organisation" literar7 or other" is liale to degenerate witho't criticis4"an7 ail4ent is liale to e dri!en deeper in and eco4e harder to cope with.

nl7 old ran criticis4 can help o'r people and o!erco4e an7 ailings intheir wor. Where criticis4 is lacing" stagnation and inertia set in" lea!ing no

roo4 or progress.

Co4rade Stalin has repeatedl7 pointed o't that one o the 4ost i4portant

conditions or o'r de!elop4ent is or e!er7 So!iet citi*en to s'4 'p theres'lts o his wor e!er7 da7" to assess hi4sel earlessl7" to anal7se his wor

ra!el7" and to criticise his own 4istaes and ailings" pondering how toachie!e etter res'lts and constantl7 stri!ing or sel-i4pro!e4ent. ;his


24/67

applies >'st as 4'ch to 4en o letters as to an7 other worers. ;he 4an who is

araid o an7 criticis4 o his wor is a despicale coward deser!ing no respectro4 the people.

An 'ncritical attit'de" and the s'stit'tion o relations o personal riendshipor those ased on principle" are !er7 pre!alent on the 6oard o the Union o

So!iet Writers. ;he 6oard" and its chair4an Co4rade ;ihono! in partic'lar"are to la4e or the ad state o aairs re!ealed in1ve*daand3eningrad" in

that the7 not onl7 4ade no atte4pt to pre!ent the har4'l inl'ence o)oshcheno" Ah4ato!a and other 'n-So!iet writers penetrating into So!iet

literat're" 't e!en readil7 per4itted st7les and tendencies alien to the spirit oSo!iet literat're to ind a place in o'r >o'rnals.

Another actor contri'ting to the ailings o the Leningrad >o'rnals was the

state o irresponsiilit7 that de!eloped a4ong the editors o these >o'rnals" thesit'ation eing s'ch that no one new who had the o!erall responsiilit7 orthe >o'rnal or or its !ario's depart4ents" so that an7 sort o order" e!en the

4ost r'di4entar7" was i4possile. ;he Central Co44ittee has" thereore" inits resol'tion appointed to1ve*daan editor-in-chie" who is to e held

responsile or the >o'rnal8s polic7 and or the ideological le!el and literar7:'alit7 o its contents.

Eisorder and anarch7 are no 4ore to e tolerated in the iss'ing o literar7p'lications than in an7 other enterprise. A clear-c't responsiilit7 or the

>o'rnal8s polic7 and contents 4'st e estalished.

Bo' 4'st restore the glorio's traditions o Leningrad8s literat're andideological ront. It is a sad and pain'l thing to ha!e to ad4it that theLeningrad >o'rnals" which had alwa7s sponsored the 4ost ad!anced ideas"

ha!e co4e to haro'r e4pt7-headedness and cheapness. ;he hono'r oLeningrad as a leading ideological and c'lt'ral centre 4'st e restored. We

4'st re4e4er that Leningrad was the cradle o the 6olshe!i Leninistorganisations. It was here that Lenin and Stalin laid the o'ndations o the

6olshe!i art7" the 6olshe!i world o'tloo and 6olshe!i c'lt're.

It is a point o hono'r or Leningrad writers and art7 4e4ers to restore andcarr7 'rther these glorio's traditions. It is the tas o the Leningrad worers

on the ideological ront" and o the writers ao!e all" to dri!e e4pt7-headedness and cheapness o't o Leningrad literat're" to raise alot the annero So!iet literat're" to sei*e e!er7 opport'nit7 or ideological and literar7

de!elop4ent" not to lea!e 'p-to-date the4es 'ntreated" to eep pace with thepeople8s de4ands" to enco'rage in e!er7 possile wa7 the old criticis4 o

their own ailings" criticis4 containing no ele4ent o toad7ing and not ased

on riendships and gro'p-lo7alties ? a gen'ine" old" independent" ideological"6olshe!i criticis4.


25/67

67 now it sho'ld e clear to 7o' what a serio's o!ersight the Leningrad Cit7

Co44ittee o the art7" and partic'larl7 its propaganda depart4ent andpropaganda secretar7 Co4rade Shiroo! who was p't in charge o

ideological wor and ears the 4ain responsiilit7 or the ail're o these>o'rnals3" ha!e een g'ilt7 o.

;he Leningrad Co44ittee o the art7 co44itted a gra!e political error whenit passed its resol'tion at the end o 'ne on1ve*das new editorial oard" in

which )oshcheno was incl'ded. olitical lindness is the onl7 possileeplanation o the act that Co4rades ap'stin Secretar7 o the Cit7

Co44ittee o the art73 and Shiroo! the Cit7 Co44ittee8s propagandasecretar73 sho'ld ha!e agreed to s'ch an erroneo's decision. All these

4istaes 4'st" I repeat" e set right as :'icl7 and ir4l7 as possile" toenale Leningrad to res'4e its participation in the ideological lie o o'r

art7.

We all lo!e Leningrad< we all lo!e o'r Leningrad art7 organisation as eing

one o o'r art78s leading detach4ents. Literar7 ad!ent'rers o all sorts whowo'ld lie to 4ae 'se o Leningrad or their own ends 4'st ind no re'ge

here. )oshcheno" Ah4ato!a and the lie ha!e no ondness or So!ietLeningrad. It is other social and political wa7s and another ideolog7 that the7

wo'ld lie to see entrenched here. ;he !isions da**ling their e7es are those oold St. eters'rg" with the 6ron*e orse4an as its s74ol. We" on the

contrar7" lo!e So!iet Leningrad" Leningrad as the ore4ost centre o So!iet

c'lt're. 'r ancestors are the glorio's and o great re!ol'tionar7 andde4ocratic ig'res who ca4e ro4 Leningrad and whose direct descendantswe are. odern Leningrad8s glorio's traditions are a contin'ation o those

great re!ol'tionar7-de4ocratic traditions" which we wo'ld not echange oran7thing else in the world.

Let the Leningrad art7 4e4ers anal7se their 4istaes oldl7" with noacward glances" no taing it eas7 so as to straighten things o't in the est

and :'icest wa7 possile and to carr7 o'r ideological wor orward. ;heLeningrad 6olshe!is 4'st once 4ore tae their place in the rans o the

initiators" o the leaders in the shaping o So!iet ideolog7 and So!iet socialconscio'sness.

ow co'ld the Leningrad Cit7 Co44ittee o the art7 ha!e per4itted s'ch asit'ation to arise on the ideological rontD It had e!identl7 eco4e so

engrossed in da7-to-da7 practical wor on the rehailitation o the cit7 and thede!elop4ent o its ind'str7 that it orgot the i4portance o ideological and

ed'cational wor.

;his orget'lness has cost the Leningrad organisation dear. Ideological wor4'st not e orgotten. 'r people8s spirit'al wealth is no less i4portant than


26/67

their 4aterial wealth. We cannot li!e lindl7" taing no tho'ght or the

4orrow" either in the ield o 4aterial prod'ction or in the ideological ield.;o s'ch an etent ha!e o'r So!iet people de!eloped that the7 are not going to

swallow whatsoe!er spirit'al ood 4a7 e d'4ped on the4. S'ch worers inart and c'lt're as do not change and cannot satis7 the people8s growing needs

4a7 oreit the people8s conidence eore long.

'r So!iet literat're li!es and 4'st li!e in the interests o o'r co'ntr7 and o

o'r people alone. Literat're is a concern near and dear to the people. So thepeople consider o'r e!er7 s'ccess" e!er7 i4portant wor o literat're" as a

!ictor7 o their own. @!er7 s'ccess'l wor 4a7 thereore e co4pared with aattle won" or with a great !ictor7 on the econo4ic ront. And con!ersel7"

e!er7 ail're o So!iet literat're h'rts and wo'nds the people" the art7 andthe state proo'ndl7. ;his is what the Central Co44ittee was thining o in

passing its resol'tion" or the Central Co44ittee watches o!er the interests othe people and o their literat're" and is !er7 greatl7 concerned ao't the

present state o aairs a4ong Leningrad writers.

eople who ha!e not taen 'p an7 ideological stand wo'ld lie to c't awa7

the o'ndations ro4 'nder the Leningrad detach4ent o literar7 worers"de4olish their wor8s ideological aspect and depri!e the Leningrad writers8

wor o its signiicance as a 4eans o social reor4. 6't the CentralCo44ittee is conident that Leningrad8s 4en o letters will ne!ertheless ind

in the4sel!es the strength to p't a stop to an7 atte4pts to di!ert Leningrad8s

literat're detach4ent and >o'rnals into a groo!e o e4pt7-headedness and laco principle and political conscio'sness. Bo' ha!e een set in the ore4ostline o the ideological ront" 7o' are acing tre4endo's and internationall7

signiicant tass< and this sho'ld intensi7 e!er7 gen'ine So!iet writer8s senseo responsiilit7 to his people" his state and his art7" and his sense o the

i4portance o the d't7 he is carr7ing o't.

Whether o'r s'ccesses are won within o'r own co'ntr7 or in the international

arena" the o'rgeois world does not lie the4.

As a res'lt o the Second World War the position o socialis4 has een

strengthened. ;he :'estion o socialis4 has een p't down on the agenda o4an7 co'ntries in @'rope. ;his displeases the i4perialists o e!er7 h'eG the7

ear socialis4 and o'r socialist co'ntr7" an ea4ple to the whole oprogressi!e 4anind. ;he i4perialists and their ideological hench4en"

writers" >o'rnalists" politicians and diplo4ats" are tr7ing to slander o'r co'ntr7in e!er7 wa7 open to the4" to p't it in a alse light" to !ili7 socialis4. ;he

tas o So!iet literat're in these conditions is not onl7 to ret'rn low or lowto all this !ile slander and all these attacs on o'r So!iet c'lt're and on

socialis4" 't also to 4ae a rontal attac on degenerating and deca7ingo'rgeois c'lt're.


27/67

owe!er ine 4a7 e the eternal appearance o the wor o the ashionale

4odern o'rgeois writers in A4erica and Western @'rope" and o their il4directors and theatrical prod'cers" the7 can neither sa!e nor etter their

o'rgeois c'lt're" or its 4oral asis is rotten and deca7ing. It has een placedat the ser!ice o capitalist pri!ate ownership" o the selish and egocentric

interests o the top la7er o o'rgeois societ7. A swar4 o o'rgeois writers"il4 directors and theatrical prod'cers are tr7ing to draw the attention o the

progressi!e strata o societ7 awa7 ro4 the ac'te prole4s o social andpolitical str'ggle and to di!ert it into a groo!e o cheap 4eaningless art and

literat're" treating o gangsters and show-girls and glori7ing the ad'lterer andthe ad!ent'res o croos and ga4lers.

Is it itting or 's So!iet patriots" the representati!es o ad!anced So!ietc'lt're" to pla7 the part o ad4irers or disciples o o'rgeois c'lt'reD 'r

literat're" relecting an order on a higher le!el than an7 o'rgeois-de4ocraticorder and a c'lt're 4anioldl7 s'perior to o'rgeois c'lt're" has" it goes

witho't sa7ing" the right to teach the new 'ni!ersal 4orals to others.

Where is another s'ch people or co'ntr7 as o'rs to e o'ndD Where are s'ch

splendid h'4an :'alities to e o'nd as o'r So!iet people displa7ed in the=reat atriotic War and are displa7ing e!er7 da7 in the lao'r o con!erting

o'r econo47 to peace'l de!elop4ent and 4aterial and c'lt'ralrehailitationD 'r people are cli4ing higher and higher e!er7 da7. o

longer are we the %'ssians we were eore 191,< no longer is o'r %'ssia the

sa4e" no longer is o'r character the sa4e. We ha!e changed and grown alongwith the great changes that ha!e transig'red o'r co'ntr7 ro4 its !er7o'ndations.

Showing these great new :'alities o the So!iet people" not onl7 showing o'rpeople as the7 are toda7" 't glancing into their 't're and helping to light 'p

the wa7 ahead" is the tas o e!er7 conscientio's So!iet writer. A writercannot tag along in the wae o e!ents< it is or hi4 to 4arch in the ore4ost

rans o the people and point o't to the4 the path o their de!elop4ent. e4'st ed'cate the people and ar4 the4 ideologicall7" g'iding hi4sel 7 the

4ethod o socialist realis4" st'd7ing o'r lie attenti!el7 and conscientio'sl7and tr7ing to gain a deeper 'nderstanding o the processes o o'r

de!elop4ent.

At the sa4e ti4e as we select So!iet 4an8s inest eelings and :'alities and

re!eal his 't're to hi4" we 4'st show o'r people what the7 sho'ld not elie and castigate the s'r!i!als ro4 7esterda7 that are hindering the So!iet

people8s progress. So!iet writers 4'st help the people" the state and the art7to ed'cate o'r 7o'ng people to e opti4istic" to ha!e conidence in their own

strength and to ear no diic'lties.


28/67

ard as o'rgeois politicians and writers 4a7 stri!e to conceal the tr'th o the

achie!e4ents o the So!iet order and So!iet c'lt're" hard as the7 4a7 stri!e toerect an iron c'rtain to eep the tr'th ao't the So!iet Union ro4 penetrating

aroad" hard as the7 4a7 stri!e to elittle the gen'ine growth and scope oSo!iet c'lt're" all their eorts are oredoo4ed to ail're. We now o'r

c'lt're8s strength and ad!antages !er7 well. S'ice it to recall the greats'ccess o o'r c'lt'ral delegations aroad" o o'r ph7sical c'lt're parades and

so on. It is not or 's to owtow to all things oreign or to stand passi!el7 onthe deensi!e.

I in their he7da7 the e'dal order and then the o'rgeoisie were ale to createart and literat're asserting the estalish4ent o the new order and singing its

praises" then we who or4 a new socialist order e4od7ing all that is est inthe histor7 o ci!ilisation and c'lt're are 7et itter to create the 4ost ad!anced

literat're in the world" ar s'rpassing the inest literar7 ea4ples o or4erti4es.

What is it that the Central Co44ittee re:'ests and wishesD

;he Central Co44ittee o the art7 wishes the Leningrad art7 4e4ers and

writers to 'nderstand clearl7 that the ti4e has co4e or 's to raise o'rideological wor to a high le!el. ;he 7o'ng So!iet generation will e called

'pon to consolidate the strength and power o the socialist So!iet order" to4ae 'll 'se o the 4oti!e orces o So!iet societ7 to pro4ote o'r 4aterial

and c'lt'ral progress. ;o carr7 o't these great tass" the 7o'ng generation4'st e ro'ght 'p to e steadast and cheer'l" not to al at diic'lties 't

to 4eet and now how to s'r4o'nt the4. 'r people 4'st e ed'cated peopleo high ideals" tastes and 4oral and c'lt'ral de4ands. It is necessar7 to this

end that o'r literat're" o'r >o'rnals" sho'ld not hold aloo ro4 the tass o theda7 't sho'ld help the art7 and the people to ed'cate o'r 7o'ng people in

the spirit o s'pre4e de!otion to the So!iet order and ser!ice in the interestso the people.

So!iet writers" and all o'r ideological worers" are now standing in theore4ost ighting line< or o'r tass on the ideological ront" and those o

literat're ao!e all" ha!e not een re4o!ed 't" on the contrar7" are growing4ore i4portant in conditions o peace'l de!elop4ent.

It is not a re4o!al o literat're ro4 conte4porar7 prole4s that the people"the state and the art7 want" 't the acti!e inc'rsion o literat're into e!er7

aspect o So!iet lie. 6olshe!is set a high !al'e on literat're and ha!e a clearperception o its great historical 4ission o reinorcing the people8s 4oral and

political 'nit7" ed'cating the4 and consolidating their rans. ;he Central

Co44ittee wishes 's to eed the h'4an spirit a'ndantl7" regarding theattain4ent o c'lt'ral wealth as a chie tas o socialis4.


29/67

;he Central Co44ittee o the art7 eels s're the Leningrad detach4ent o

So!iet literat're is 4orall7 and politicall7 so'nd and will :'icl7 set its4istaes right and tae its d'e place in the rans o So!iet literat're.

;he Central Co44ittee eels s're the ailings in the wor o Leningrad writerswill e o!erco4e and the ideological wor o the Leningrad art7

organisation soon raised to the le!el now re:'ired in the interests o the art7"the people and the state.

On music

Concluding Speech at a Conference of Soviet Music Workers, !#:

Two trends in music

Co4rades" allow 4e irst o all to 4ae so4e re4ars ao't the character othe disc'ssion which has de!eloped here.

A general appraisal o the sit'ation in 4'sic shows that 4atters are'nsatisactor7. It is tr'e that !ario's shades o opinion eca4e apparent d'ring

disc'ssion. So4e speaers said that the weaness la7 in organisational 4attersand pointed o't the poor state o aairs in criticis4 and sel criticis4" and the

incorrect 4ethods o leadership in 4'sic 4atters" especiall7 in the Union oCo4posers. thers" while endorsing criticis4 o organisation" pointed also to

weanesses in the ideological direction o So!iet 4'sic. Still others tried to4ini4ise the ac'teness o the sit'ation or atte4pted to re4ain silent on

'npleasant :'estions. 6't howe!er !aried the details" the general tone o thedisc'ssion shows that things are 'nsatisactor7.

I do not wish to ring (dissonance+ or (atonalit7+ into this appraisal" altho'ghatonalit7 is now the ashion. I do not wish to den7 the achie!e4ents o So!iet

4'sic. ;he7 eist" o co'rse< 't it 4'st e ad4itted that o'r achie!e4ents in

4'sic are altogether insigniicant 7 co4parison with achie!e4ents in otherspheres. ;ae literat're" or ea4ple. So4e o the ig >o'rnals areeperiencing real diic'lties in 'sing all the 4aterial in their editorial iles

which is well worth p'lishing. o s'ch (o'tp't+ can e oasted o in 4'sic.We note progress in il4s and pla7s too" 't nothing in 4'sic.

'sic has got let ehind ? that is the general tone o the contri'tions to the

disc'ssion.

It is clear that things are not nor4al either in the Union o Co4posers or in the

Co44ittee or Art Aairs. ;he Co44ittee has not een 4entioned 4'ch andhas een ins'icientl7 criticised. At an7 rate" 4ore was said ao't the Union


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and criticis4 o it was sharper. Bet the role which the Co44ittee pla7ed was a

sorr7 one. 6ehind the pretence o standing wholeheartedl7 or the realist trendin 4'sic it has in e!er7 wa7 aetted the or4alist trend. 67 p'tting the

representati!es o the or4alist trend on a pedestal it has greatl7 contri'ted tothe disorganisation and ideological con'sion a4ong the rans o o'r

co4posers. 6eing" 4oreo!er" ignorant and inco4petent in 4'sic 4atters theCo44ittee >'st drited along with the or4alist sect o co4posers.

;he rganisational Co44ittee o the Union o Co4posers has een co4paredoth to a 4onaster7 and to a =... witho't an ar47. ;here is no need to

disp'te either co4parison. I the destin7 o So!iet 4'sic is to e in thepri!ileged hands o a select circle o leading co4posers and critics ? critics

chosen or their ser!ilit7 and the at4osphere o ad'lation with which the7s'rro'nd the co4posers< i there is a lac o creati!e disc'ssion in the Union

and a stale" st'7 at4osphere which segregates the co4posers into top-gradeand second-rate< and i the ashion at Union conerences is either respect'l

silence or awe-str'c praise o the chosen ew" then it is clear that the sit'ationon the 4'sical l74p's is indeed alar4ing.

;he har4'l trend in criticis4 and the asence o disc'ssions in the Union4'st e gone into. Lac o creati!e disc'ssions" criticis4 and sel-criticis4

4eans that there is no ad!ance" and that the so'rces o de!elop4ent are dr7ing'p and stagnation is setting in.

It is no accident that people taing part or the irst ti4e in a conerence on:'estions o 4'sic are astonished at the presence o s'ch irreconcilale

contradictions within the Union o Co4posers" with its conser!ati!eorganisational s7ste4 and the allegedl7 'ltra-progressi!e !iews o its present

leadership in the creati!e sphere. We now that the Union leadership hasinscried 'pon its anner s'ch pro4ising slogans as an appeal or inno!ation

and or the ren'nciation o archaic traditions" and a call to str'ggle against(epigonis4+O and so on.

* Epigonism, from epigone, an inferior follower or imitator.

It is c'rio's" howe!er" that the e!er7 people who wish to appear the etre4eradicals and e!en arch-re!ol'tionaries in their wor and who aspire to the role

o o!erthrowers o anti:'ated criteria ? these sa4e people" in so ar as the7participate in the acti!it7 o the Union o Co4posers" pro!e to e etre4el7

acward and recalcitrant when it co4es to introd'cing so4ething new or4aing changes< the7 are conser!ati!e in their 4ethods o wor and

leadership and re:'entl7 and willingl7 ow to ad traditions in organisational:'estions. ;he reason or this is not ar to see. When po4po's phraseolog7

ao't an alleged new trend in So!iet 4'sic is co4ined with 7 no 4eansprogressi!e action" then that act alone is eno'gh to ca'se legiti4ate do't as


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to the progressi!e character o the ideological and creati!e tendencies

res'lting ro4 s'ch reactionar7 4ethods.

All o 7o' realise !er7 well that the organisational aspect o an7 4atter is o

great i4portance. It is clear that a serio's spring-cleaning is needed" a reshwind to p'ri7 the air in the co4posers8 and 4'sicians8 organisation" so that a

nor4al at4osphere 4a7 e estalished or the de!elop4ent o creati!e wor.

;he 'nda4ental prole4 is ne!ertheless not that o organisation ? i4portant

as it is ? 't that o the trend o So!iet 4'sic. ;he disc'ssion which hasde!eloped here tends to l'r that prole4. We 4'st ring clarit7 into the

:'estion o the de!elop4ent o 4'sic" >'st as 7o' are ai4ing at clarit7 in4'sical phrasing. ;he disc'ssion has deinitel7 ro'ght o't in relie two

trends in 4'sic" and altho'gh so4e co4rades tried not to call a spade a spade

and the ga4e is eing pla7ed onl7 partl7 in the open" it is clear ne!erthelessthat a str'ggle etween the trends is taing place" and that atte4pts are eing4ade to s'stit'te one or another.

oreo!er" so4e o the co4rades ha!e asserted that there is no need to raisethe :'estion o a str'ggle etween trends since there has een no :'alitati!e

change" and that we ha!e here 4erel7 a de!elop4ent o the classical school inSo!iet conditions. ;he7 said that the principles o classical 4'sic are

'ndergoing no re!ision and that there is conse:'entl7 nothing to arg'e or4ae a 'ss ao't. ;he entire prole4 is eing red'ced 7 the4 to a 4atter o

indi!id'als 4ending their wa7s" o isolated cases o enth'sias4 or techni:'e"o nat'ralist lapses here and there" and so on.

;he act that s'ch an e!asion o the iss'e is taing place calls or a closerea4ination o this str'ggle etween two trends" since it is" o co'rse" not onl7

a case o the roo o the Conser!atoire leaing and needing repair" as Co4radeShealin has p't it so aptl7. ;hat wo'ld e a 4atter which co'ld e :'icl7

rectiied. It is a case o a ar larger crac ha!ing appeared in the o'ndationso So!iet 4'sic.

All the speaers ha!e shown that the leading part in the creati!e acti!ities othe Union o Co4posers is eing pla7ed at present 7 a deinite gro'p. ;hena4es o the ollowing co4rades ha!e een 4entionedG Shostao!ich"

rooie!" 7aso!s7" hachat'r7an" opo!" aale!s7 and Shealin. Isthere an7 other na4e 7o' wo'ld lie to addD

JoiceG Shaporin.

)hdano!G When 4ention is 4ade o an7 leading gro'p holding the reins" those

are the na4es 4ost re:'entl7 cited. Let 's consider these co4rades" who are


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also the leading ig'res o the or4alist trend in 4'sic" a trend which is

'nda4entall7 wrong.

;he co4rades in :'estion ha!e contri'ted to the disc'ssion and ha!e stated

that the7" too" are dissatisied with the lac o criticis4 in the Union oCo4posers" with the act that the7 are eing o!erpraised" that the7 eel a

certain loss o contact with the 4ain od7 o co4posers and with concerta'diences. It was hardl7 necessar7" howe!er" to wait or the prod'ction o a

not !er7 s'ccess'l ? or not at all s'ccess'l ? opera" eore stating s'chtr'ths. ;hese ad4issions co'ld ha!e een 4ade 4'ch earlier" 't the cr' o

the 4atter is that the regi4e or the or4alist sect in the 4'sical organisationshas not een entirel7 'npleasant" to p't it 4ildl7" or the leading gro'p o o'r

co4posers. It has re:'ired a disc'ssion in the Central Co44ittee o the art7or the co4rades to disco!er the act that this regi4e has its negati!e side.

owe!er that 4a7 e" eore the conerence not one o the4 tho'ght ochanging the state o aairs in the Union o Co4posers.

It has een said here that the ti4e has co4e or radical changes. ne cannot't agree. Inas4'ch as the do4inating positions in So!iet 4'sic are held 7

the co4rades I ha!e na4ed" and inas4'ch as an7 atte4pts to criticise the4wo'ld ha!e ro'ght ao't an eplosion and an i44ediate rall7ing against

s'ch criticis4" in Co4rade )aharo!8s words" the concl'sion 4'st e drawnthat the (cos7+ at4osphere o stagnation and personal relations which the7

now wish to conde4n as 'ndesirale was in act created 7 the4.

So4e leading co4rades o the Union o Co4posers ha!e asserted here that

there is no oligarch7 in the Union. 6't then the :'estion arisesG Wh7 do the7cling to the leading positions in the UnionD Eo the7 lie power or its own

saeD a!e the7 de!eloped a sort o ad4inistrati!e itch" so that the7 4erel7want to r'le a little" lie Jladi4ir =alits7 in5rince (gorD r has this

do4ination een estalished in the interests o a deinite trendD I thin that theirst con>ect're can e discarded and that the last is nearer the tr'th. We ha!e

no reason to sa7 that the 4anage4ent o the Union has no connections with atrend. We cannot ring s'ch a charge against Shostao!ich" or instance.

It ollows" then" that do4ination was 4aintained in the interests o a trend.

;here is in act" then" a sharp tho'gh hidden str'ggle etween two trendstaing place in So!iet 4'sic. ne trend represents the health7" progressi!e

principles in So!iet 4'sic" ased on the acceptance o tile i44ense role to e

pla7ed 7 the classical heritage" and in partic'lar" 7 the %'ssian school" inthe creation o a 4'sic which is realist and o tr'th'l content and is closel7

and organicall7 lined with the people and their ol 4'sic and ol song ? all

this co4ined with a high degree o proessional 4aster7. ;he other trendrepresents a or4alis4 alien to So!iet art" a re>ection o the classical heritage


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'nder the anner o inno!ation" a re>ection o the idea o the pop'lar origin o

4'sic" and o ser!ice to the people" in order to grati7 the indi!id'alistice4otions o a s4all gro'p o select aesthetes.

;he or4alist trend rings ao't the s'stit'tion o a 4'sic which is alse"!'lgar and oten p'rel7 pathological" or nat'ral" ea'ti'l" h'4an 4'sic.

F'rther4ore" it is characteristic o this trend to a!oid a rontal attac and toscreen its re!isionist acti!ities 7 or4all7 agreeing with the asic principles

o socialist realis4. ;his sort o 'nderhand 4ethod is" o co'rse" nothing new.istor7 can show 4an7 instances o re!isionis4 ehind the lael o sha4

agree4ent with a gi!en teaching. ;his 4aes it all the 4ore necessar7 tore!eal the real essence o the or4alist trend and the da4age it has done to the

de!elop4ent o So!iet 4'sic.

As an ea4ple" there is the attit'de towards the classical heritage. ;here is noindication whate!er that the s'pporters o the or4alist school are carr7ing onand de!eloping the traditions o classical 4'sic" howe!er 4'ch the7 4a7

protest to the contrar7. An7 listener will tell 7o' that the wors o So!ietco4posers o the or4alist t7pe dier 'nda4entall7 ro4 classical 4'sic.

Classical 4'sic is 4ared 7 its tr'th'lness and realis4" its ailit7 to lendrilliant artistic or4 with proo'nd content" and to co4ine the highest

technical achie!e4ent with si4plicit7 and intelligiilit7. For4alis4 and cr'denat'ralis4 are alien to classical 4'sic in general and to %'ssian classical

4'sic in partic'lar. ;he high le!el o the idea content in classical 4'sic

springs ro4 the recognition o the act that classical 4'sic has its so'rces inthe 4'sical creati!e powers o the people" in a deep respect and lo!e or the

people" their 4'sic and song.

What a step acward it is along the highroad o 4'sical de!elop4ent wheno'r or4alists" 'nder4ining the o'ndations o tr'e 4'sic" co4pose 4'sic

which is 'gl7 and alse" per4eated with idealist senti4ent" alien to the road4asses o the people" and created not or the 4illion o So!iet people" 't or

chosen indi!id'als and s4all gro'ps" or an elite. ow 'nlie =lina";chaio!s7" %i4s7-orsao!" Eargo47*hs7" 'ssorgs7" who considered

the asis or de!elop4ent o their creati!e power to e the ailit7 to epress intheir wors the spirit and character o the people. 67 ignoring the wants o the

people and its spirit and creati!e geni's" the or4alist trend in 4'sic hasclearl7 de4onstrated its anti-pop'lar character.

I a certain section o So!iet co4posers a!o'r the theor7 that the7 will eappreciated in it7 or a h'ndred 7ears8 ti4e" and that their descendants" i not

their conte4poraries" will 'nderstand the4" then the sit'ation is reall7terri7ing. ;o eco4e acc'sto4ed to s'ch an attit'de is etre4el7 dangero's.

S'ch a theor7 indicates an estrange4ent ro4 the people. I I" a writer" anartist" a critic" or a art7 worer" do not co'nt on eing 'nderstood 7 47


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conte4poraries" or who4 then do I li!e and worD Wo'ld this not lead to

spirit'al sterilit7 and a dead endD We hear that the theor7 is oered asconsolation to o'r co4posers 7 certain toad7ing 4'sic critics. ow can

co4posers re4ain indierent to co'nsel o that sort and not at least ha'l itsad!ocates eore a co'rt o hono'rD

al-orgotten 7 's see4 to e the clear state4ents ao't the pop'lar roots o4'sic 7 the (ight7 Few+O and s'se:'entl7 too 7 J. J. Staso!" the great

4'sic scholar" when he associated hi4sel with the4. al-orgotten is=lina8s (;he people create the 4'sic ? we" the artists" 4erel7 arrange+. We

orget" too" that the classical co4posers ne!er disdained an7 genres as long asthe7 helped to spread the art o 4'sic a4ong the road 4asses o the people.

Bet 7o' e!en sh'n opera as a 4'sical genre and consider it secondar7 toinstr'4ental and s74phonic 4'sic" and in 7o'r s'percilio's attit'de towards

song" choral" and concert 4'sic 7o' dee4ed it eneath 7o'r dignit7 to satis7the de4ands o the people in this respect. 6't 'ssorgs7 set the (=opa+ to

4'sic" and =lina 'sed the (o4arins7+ or one o his est wors. It has" inact" to e ad4itted that =lina" the land-owner" Sero!" the ci!il ser!ant" and

Staso!" the nole4an" were 4ore de4ocratic than 7o'.

* The Mighty Few was a group of Russian musicians formed in 18! "y M. #.$ala%ire&. 'thers associated in the group were( )ui, Mussorgs%y, Rims%y+orsa%o&, $orodin and, to a limited etent Tchai%o&s%y.

It is not eno'gh to gi!e glowing ass'rances that 7o' are all or pop'lar 4'sicect o nat'ralist distortionG it has eco4e clear herethat depart'res ro4 the nat'ral and health7 standards o 4'sic are on the

increase. @le4ents o cr'de nat'ralis4 are penetrating 4ore and 4ore into o'r4'sic. inet7 7ears ago Sero! warned against the passion or cr'de

nat'ralis4 in the ollowing wordsG

(In nat're there is an ininit7 o so'nd o the 4ost di!erse and !arieddescription. In so4e cases the7 can e gi!en na4es lie noise" th'nder"r'4le" ticle" splashing" droning" h'44ing" tinling" howling" creaing"

whistling" taling" whispering" r'stling and so on< in others the7 cannot eepressed in speech. An7 o these so'nds are 'sed as 4aterial in the 4'sical

lang'age onl7 in eceptional cases as" or ea4ple" the ringing o ells" theclashing o c74als" the tinling o a triangle" or the so'nd o dr'4s and

ta4o'rines and so on. ;he 4'sical 4aterial proper is so'nd o a specialcharacter.+

Is it not tr'e and right that in 4'sical co4positions

on literature, music and philosophy - zjadanov

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