Leisure Culture of Urban Residents in Khakassia in the 1930s.

Abstract

The main types of leisure activities in the region are considered. Leisure culture was based on upbringing a “new Soviet man” and was aimed at acquainting residents with cultural events. The organization of leisure time, based on the ideas of socialism, has affected all segments of the population without age restrictions. The reconstruction of leisure culture in the era of industrialization is an urgent research for further study of the history of Soviet culture and its consequences in the post-Soviet period. The purpose of the article is to consider the process of introducing the Soviet model of leisure culture among the citizens of Khakassia in the 1930s. The principles of historicism, objectivity and consistency, as well as historical-systemic and retrospective methods were used in the work. The primary objectives of successful industrialization were to increase the educational and professional level of the local population. In non-production activities, great importance was attached to political education and indoctrination of citizens. Local authorities have managed to make some progress in organizing and conducting events aimed at the cultural, intellectual and physical development of urban residents. With regard to the younger generation, emphasis was placed on education based on the collectivist principles. Education and physical development became one of the priority forms of youth leisure. For the first time in the region, local authorities began to organize measures to improve the population’s health. Along with the obvious successes, shortcomings in the urban leisure culture were identified. The main difficulties in organizing and conducting cultural events were insufficient funding and lack of material resources. The poor condition of leisure facilities and the quality of their work prevented the successful improvement of urban residents’ cultural level. Initially, cultural events, organized by local authorities took into account the national specifics of the region, but gradually, facing current requirements, collectivist principles and ideas of upbringing a “new Soviet man” began to dominate in urban residents’ leisure culture. Learning from past experience is necessary for the successful implementation of modern state policy in the field of culture.