Culture after Communism

[Robespierre2.0]

Has anyone here theorized on how culture will change after a socialist revolution? Specifically, how much the state will regulate the media after a revolution.

Of course, after a revolution, private media would cease to exist, and with it, the bourgeois culture of consumption. Would a hypothetical socialist government still allow members of a communist society to access pre-revolutionary consumerist media, or would we hide it to keep it from influencing the people?

I find this an important question, as I and many other American leftists can't help but enjoy decadent bourgeois culture. Of course, the hero worship of hollywood and commercials are sickening, but I can't help but enjoy 'The Price is Right', despite the obvious commercialism.

Also, would the internet be regulated? I happen to like the complete anarchy of the internet.

[Dominicana_1965]

As you know culture far exceeds our Bourgeois media & economic system. The upper class culture has been one of the primary problems for a lot of movements in that they overthrow a Bourgeois State through a Bourgeois culture, thus keeping the same parasitical culture handed down by the ruling class. To me the question is not whether we can rid society of the main Bourgeois cultural outlets like the media, but if we can rid society of their culture's abstract culture. The daily Bourgeois activities we commit without noticing...from celebrations to the family.

We can have a Socialist revolution and have a media but what is stopping the inherited Bourgeois culture from appearing in this "new" media? If we can't directly attack this hidden culture which people consider "natural" we won't have a genuine cultural revolution. While the media under a Socialist state might present something to open the minds of individuals it still lacks the power to socially change the peoples thoughts of a certain aspect. I think its because its a social construction that needs to be deconstructed by the people themselves. The Bourgeois culture might be completely eradicated from the youth but the elders will of course be a problem.

A problem in the sense that they might not want to do away with this culture because they grew up with it. Keeping "gender roles", homophobic slogans, the policing by society is what maintains this Bourgeois culture intact and what possibly brings it into the revolution. While economic liberation will remove a fraction of the habit it won't remove it completely because it becomes a cultural memory, unless the State finds a way to attack it through a educational rudimentary basis.

My point is that the "private" media won't exist literally but it's inherited culture might. Why would the revolution still keep a Bourgeois method of entertainment? Is it because the revolution has maintained a Bourgeois culture? Most likely. We need to find alternatives to their normatives if we want a genuine proletarian culture.

I don't think the internet will be regulated, it also depends on the type of economic opposition this Socialist state faces...it can become very expensive & what are the sorrounding situations.

[Jimmy]

I think ( or rather, I wish) in communism, there will be less and less media, in the way we know it today ( TV, cinema, internet etc.). I do appreciate the internet and tv as good things for communicating and for entertainment but of course they are very important elements of capitalism. people are therefore constantly conditioned to consume and are manipulated by it.
The media often also encourages isolation, desinterest and indifference towards all the injustice that's giong on in the world as one is constantly 'bombarded' with loads of images of violence and so on...

That prevents people from getting active and try to do more with the community in their environment which is exactly what the capitalist want.

In communism it should be just the opposite, though I think that right after the revolution the media should mainly be used for propaganda in order to reduce and finally ban the influence of the bourgeois (or middle-class) way of thinking!

Some people might think this as brainwash but I think that is no use...the political propaganda can only influence the people to a certain extent but it can never make them become totally convinced. That should be the task of all the experienced Marxist-Leninists who will personally discuss with the people...

I think dream of a culture without tv... :D

[Raúl Duke]

Culture in Communism would in the hands of the people. One cannot accurately determine what "way of thinking, world view, etc" (culture) a genuine communist society would create.

In capitalist society, culture seems to be created by either classes...however, the capitalists' control the "mass distribution" of culture. Its common in our current society for them to "appropriate" certain sub culture (or cultural stuff; music, etc), modify them to their tastes, and selling it back to the masses. I suppose this was the fate of hip-hop, grunge (there was something called post-grunge..at least to wiki), and to punk (although not completly appropriated, there was something called "post-punk" that was very consumer "hot topic" friendly).

There are some theories about "culture", "consumerism", etc in capitalist society (Situationist's ideas, Gramsci's Cultural Hegemony, etc)

I suggest reading a bit into the Situationists and about "the Spectacle"


I think dream of a culture without tv...

There may be "tv culture" in communism...but not in the way we have it now.
One things for sure, there will be less commercial advertisements

[Tatarin]

One things for sure, there will be less commercial advertisements

Indeed. The only "ads" that would be shown on tv would be announcements and news - like what places are open, new media (like music, movies, games etc) and so on, I suppose.

[Robespierre2.0]

I shall check out the situationists...

Basically, I hope that in a communist society, the bourgeois media of the past will still be there, but viewed sort of in the same way as we view 19th century literature with outdated racist/sexist overtones... appreciate what value it has while keeping in mind it came from a more backwards era.

IMHO, policies that force artists to only create 'socialist realist' works are reprehensible. Is it possible to have a socialist state with absolute free speech? I'd like to think it is...

[phoenixoftime]

Something which capitalism promotes is individualism in our culture. Think about it: all these technological developments have resulted in people being driven further and further apart: private motor cars, telephones, private televisions, personal computers etc.

While all these things are great, and we don't want to throw all that progress away, I can see communist societies having more focus on the communal, rather than the individual.

One example could be housing. Today we live in small, individual houses based upon the family unit. Since the breakdown of the family institution has been going on for many decades now, I often wonder if large communal residences could be a norm under communism.

[Raúl Duke]

Is it possible to have a socialist state with absolute free speech? I'd like to think it is...

I don't think "absolute" free speech (specifically, free media; except maybe the internet) has ever existed and may probably not exist.

Even in communism (which is different that the socialist state) the workers control the media, the resources related to it, etc (through their syndicates, collectives, council, etc). They may/could choose to restrict reactionary "speech" by withholding resources, choosing not to dissemate something through the media, etc. (among other things they could do)


large communal residences could be a norm under communism.

I think so too. There have been some work that speculates a post-revolutionary society and usually in terms of housing there of that similar vein. Overtime these communal residence will replace suburb-style housing, individual houses, etc.
In a way I think this idea might be good (well, never lived in communal residence; but living in a suburb is extremely boring and...very isolated mostly.)

[RedHal]

Originally posted by Marxosaurus [email protected] 01, 2007 09:10 pm
IMHO, policies that force artists to only create 'socialist realist' works are reprehensible. Is it possible to have a socialist state with absolute free speech? I'd like to think it is...
Why is this reprehensible? Unless you think a world wide revolution happening all at once is likely. A revolution will likely take place in one or a few countries. The remaining global climate will still be capitalists and hence very hostile towards communism.

Look at America, where there is supposed "free speach" and information, leftists are the minority. The ruling class owns mass media, they distort and manipulate information to serve their interest and Americans eat it up.

Small countries like Cuba and North Korea(socialist or not) don't stand a chance if they open up "freedom of information and speach" with the present hostile global media.

[Robespierre2.0]

I realize what you're saying, Redhal, but I disagree on a few points.

While I think it's justified to suppress bourgeoisie media during socialism's vulnerable period, I think what the Soviet Union did was wrong. During Lenin's time, the Soviets encouraged avant-garde and constructivist art. Stalin came to power and made socialist realism the official art style. I just think that's wrong- the constructivists and avant-garde artists weren't counterrevolutionary- in fact a lot of their work was explicitly socialist.

Communism is about the struggle for a better, more humane society. I realize that when people have that sort of freedom, it should be protected, but government having a tight grip on culture seems to defeat the purpose of socialism.

Well, whatever. As long as trance music and surrealist films aren't banned, I'm fine.

[Dr Mindbender]

i think post revolutionary culture and art will be more positive, because the thing ive noticed is that capitalist era art and literature seems to be prominately inspired by the material conditioning and social alienation that is endemic within class society.

[Janus]

There will be some profound cultural changes following the revolution specifically a shift towards a more proletarian culture as opposed to the current one we have now.

As far as state control of the media and censorship go, that's a dangerous road to go on and would become quite problematic depending on the structure of the state.
freedom of speech (http://www.revleft.com/index.php?showtopic=63232&hl=censorship)