The Paradox of Russian Non-Liberty

Abstract

The last years of Perestroika and Glasnost brought many changes to the cultural life of the Soviet Union. The changes began in an atmosphere of cautious optimism and included new freedoms to travel, to demonstrate publicly, and to write without the threat of censorship. So far, the changes of the past seven years have yet to produce any significant cultural results, only a reevaluation and a new understanding of old ideas in life, politics, and art. Foremost among these is the idea of traditional Russian non-liberty, which remains as prominent today as it was before the August coup of 1991 and the Second Russian Revolution. Perhaps the most successful and productive year of Perestroika was 1989. Many new publications and newly published archival materials appeared, and there was also a great increase in the sale of Russian paintings. Soviet composers made many trips abroad, and musicians from all over the world were invited to perform in the Soviet Union. But then disappointment came, and at the moment many things simply do not work anymore. Many musicians and painters have since left the Soviet Union for different Western countries, and their former workshops in basements are now empty. The same is true of performers and composers. You will not meet Alfred Schnittke and Sofia Gubaidulina in Moscow, Valentin Silvestrov in Kiev, or Gia Kancheli in Tbilisi anymore. To reach them, you have to go to Germany or even to the Canary Islands. In fact, one can say that Russian culture exists more now in the West than in Russia itself.