Letter Writing as Public Opinion: Complaining to Soviet Authorities

• In Event: 2129 - Section on Comparative-Historical Sociology Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 1. Collective Memory, Politics, and Representation

Abstract

The increasing use of social media to express opinions relates to the Soviet practice of letter writing to authorities about issues. In both, citizens rely on text to express to their opinions rather than responding to selected questions, prompts, and answers in surveys and focus groups. Letter writing was popular among Soviet citizens because it was one of the only ways they could express opinions. Other avenues of participation were forbidded, like opposition parties, contentious politics, independent unions, etc. Also, survey and focus group research methods did not really develop in Soviet Union until the 1980s. In this paper, I draw on letters sent by citizens to regional authorities in Leningrad and their detailed responses during 1978-1982. Soviet citizens individually, anonymously, and collectively sent critical letters about policies and persons to get action from authorities. Authorities responded to citizen concerns and even tailored policies and plans based on suggestions from citizens. At the same time, elaborate bureaucratic structures emerged around citizen letters to address their concerns. Authorities investigated the backgrounds of letter writers that they could then use to manipulate issues and people. While giving citizens control over their opinions, textual expressions also opened citizens to manipulation by authority because citizens revealed personal details.

Author

• Andrew D. Buck, University of Southern Indiana