June 1, 2022

The Rise of Soviet Propaganda And Censorship Machine

"This is a good reminder to us today that such simple notions as politically correct or something that shows reality in a way one is not pleased with can very, very easily lead to the creation of a monstrous censorship machinery that was created by a Russian Soviet system in the 1920s and continued its lies and its propaganda machinery abuse all the way to its collapse. So it emphasizes one more time the value of the free press, of no censorship of any kind of any information, so that liberty of expression stays with us and we do not succumb to the Soviet methods of suppression of ideas." - Vladimir Brovkin.

Video Title: The Rise of Soviet Propaganda And Censorship Machine. Source: Vladimir Brovkin. Date Published: January 6, 2021. Description:

This segment of Russian History with Dr.Brovkin discusses the formation of the Soviet propaganda and censorship. What do the authorities do when they want to destroy competition in the realm of culture? They ban, they persecute, they censor and they arrest. What do they do when they aspire to change the cultural values, the standards of what is acceptable, the limits of cultural expression? They label alternative tastes as inimical, as destructive, and subversive, and they unleash the political police. This happened in Soviet Russia. Can it happen in your country today? 

Dr. Brovkin is a Russian born American historian, now retired, used to serve as a Professor of Soviet History at Harvard University.