Autonomy in Post-1947 Soviet Philosophy?

• In Event: The Question of Autonomy in the Late-Stalin-Era Humanities

Abstract

The year 1947 has been described both as a new beginning for Soviet philosophers, and as the end of all philosophical freedom in the USSR. My paper tackles this paradox by tracing intellectual currents around the ‘philosophical discussion’, seen as the impetus for the creation of the journal ‘Voprosy filosofii’. While Zhdanov’s goal was to gain control over the development of Soviet philosophy, the question remains: to what extend did he succeed in this task? The paper approaches the difference between ideology and philosophy, suggesting that for thinking to be philosophical, it must retain a level of autonomy. Was this possible during the late Stalin era?

Author

• Liisa Bourgeot, U of Helsinki (Finland)