Printed Posters as a Source for the Study of the Social and Political Processes in Ukraine in the 1920-ies

The paper addresses the role of printed posters as visual sources for studying social and political processes in the 1920-ies. It allows to consider the idea that the Ukrainian society, under the influence of the bolsheviks propaganda, enthusiastically started to build a new society, as incorrect one. Without denying the impact of propaganda in the life of society, one should more comprehensively analyze the processes that took place in the crucial periods of Ukrainian history. It is also important here to take into account other methods of influencing common people, in particular, the repressive acts of the soviet authorities. The statement of the problem involves the shift of the emphasis in elucidating the socio-political processes in Ukraine in the 1920-ies. In contrast to the majority of researchers, the author, relying on the evidence of the V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine holdings, considers that the propaganda of bolshevism ideas did not play the decisive role traditionally ascribed to it both during the USSR existence and in the later years. Its research methodology is based on using the comparative analysis method in interpreting the social and political processes in Ukraine in the period mentioned. The scientific novelty of the study is the shift in the accents in the vision of socio-economic processes that happened in Ukraine in the 20-ies of the previous century. Unlike the majority of researchers, the author, relying on the evidence of the V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine poster holdings, maintains that the propaganda of bolshevism ideas did not play the crucial role that had been traditionally ascribed to it both in the period of the USSR existence and in subsequent years. The principal method of promoting those concepts were persecution, administrative harassment and struggle against dissent persons. The analysis of the abovementioned posters has shown that political propagandist posters were not the main type of printed poster products. Therefore, there is no reason to claim that they played the crucial role in the propaganda of bolshevism ideas in Ukraine. Quite the contrary, the posters of cultural, public and manufacturing function made a noticeable contribution to developing the self-consciousness of the Ukrainian society. Hence, persecution practices were the main effective instruments for bolsheviks to advance socialist and communist ideas. A vast majority of the Ukrainian people did not accept the communist ideology, which, in fact, was a typical export of revolution. For that reason, to establish their power, bolsheviks implemented collectivization by severe methods. In their view, the repressions were the only way to withhold the power that they had seized in the armed struggle. Moreover, an especially cynical and cruel method to implement that in Ukraine was Holodomor (Genocide Famine).