Features of the tightening of the state policy of the Soviet government and religious denominations during the "thaw" on the example of the Kuibyshev region

Abstract

The subject of the study is the anti-religious policy built by the state in the Kuibyshev region during the onset of the "thaw". During the onset of the "thaw", the Soviet people initially received hope for more free relations in the cultural environment, representatives of various faiths did not exclude this possibility, but this period was marked by a period of "Khrushchev persecution" by historians. Even during the period of "late Stalinism", the government, consisting of positive supporters of reconciliation with the church, put forward a course "for balanced relations with the Russian Orthodox Church." But this course was stopped in the 1950s by N.S. Khrushchev, who came to power. He and his supporters spoke of this path as unjustified and wrong, saying that this course was a sign of "Stalinism". The main conclusions of the study are that during this period a number of methods of combating religious organizations were used: propaganda was carried out at mass events, mandatory lectures by teachers and well-known professors were held, taxes were increased for administrative positions and representatives of the church, and financial powers and economic decisions of local civil authorities were appropriated, which directly limited the activities of the clergy of any religion for the care, development and dissemination of their worldview. These measures helped to exercise financial and ideological control over the activities of religious denominations. In addition, many parishioners and religious figures could not remain parishioners of religious organizations because of the achievements of scientific progress. All these internal and external factors forced the population to rethink beliefs and open up to new ideas. The research materials can be used in the process of organizing classes on the subject "History of the Samara Region", recommended as part of the school component in the curriculum of educational institutions of the Samara region, in the work of historical circles and extracurricular activities of schoolchildren and students.