Pseudo-freedom and the Illusions of Socialist Realism

Abstract

All writers should unite in the Union of Soviet Writers and participate in the building of socialism. Soviet government made writing a part of state structures, an ideological tool, and the main propagandist of communist ideals. In all the republics of the Soviet Union, writers' unions became a kind of political organizations that were supposed to control artistic production. They were supported by specially created censorship organizations that did not give permission to print works of art containing any oppositional thoughts for the authorities. As Stalin pointed out, writers were "engineers of the soul" and could ideologically shape new person.