Introduction. This essay addresses the question “to what extent were the origins and nature of the Foxtrotters (1921-1929) and the Styliagi (1945-1964) subcultures in the

Word Count: 3987

Abstract

This essay addresses the question “to what extent were the origins and nature of the Foxtrotters (1921-1929) and the Styliagi (1945-1964) subcultures in the USSR similar?”

In order to analyse and compare the role of the socio-political environment[1] in their origins, I used Edele’s framework of the three preconditions^[2]necessary for the emergence of a western-influenced youth subculture. Academic articles by Sherman, Riordan and Fainsod helped me prove that Edele’s framework applies to the Styliagi, and articles by Gorsuch and Godderham on the NEP youth helped me apply this framework to the origin of Foxtrotters. The motivation of those groups was also examined and compared, for which individual case studies were invaluable. Furthermore, the similarities and differences in the nature and practices of each group were considered[3], using members’ memoirs and articles from contemporary journals.

In conclusion, the main area of similarity between the two groups was in their contextual origin, which aligned with Edele’s theories. There were,

however, major differences in the motivation to join each group: Styliagi were consciously defiant against the values of the regime, while the Foxtrotters were opportunistically exploiting newly available[4] forms of entertainment which had emerged in the environment of the NEP relaxations. In addition, whilst the US influence on both subcultures makes their nature similar, the Styliagi’s forms of expression were more cohesive and unified, whilst Foxtrotters were not recognized as a cohesive subculture because the nature of their expression was more individualistic and spontaneous.

Word count: 298

Contents

1. Introduction Page 1

2. Investigation Page 2

· 2.1 NEP: Flappers and Foxtrotters Page 2

· 2.2 Late-Stalinism and Thaw era: Styliagi Page 6

· 2.3 Comparative Analysis. Page 1

3. Conclusion Page 12

4. Bibliography Page 14

Introduction

As Lenin declared in 1905 “We are the party of the future, but the future belongs to the young…. we shall always be the party of the youth, of the advanced class” (Edele, 2002, p 39). From then onwards controlling the minds and lives of young people[5] was one of the key domestic policies of the USSR‘s government, regardless of the time period (Fainsod, 1964). In the post-revolutionary society, during the NEP, the government had an aim of creating “cultural hegemony “ which is vital for uniting a nation after a revolution and youth were a critical piece of puzzle in the post-revolutionary cultural design, destined to be the first generation of perfect soviet citizens (Gorsuch, 1992). Khrushchev shared similar ideas in the 1950s, when he launched the Thaw Leisure Campaign[6] (Tsipursky, 2008, p 635).

From the first glance The Bolshevik party had massive achievements in the field as by the 1950s close to a half of all proletarian youth has joined the Komsomol[7] “and dreams of new communist future” influenced every part of their everyday life and their aspirations (Gorsuch, 1992,p 190). Furthermore, there is a positive trend in the Komsomol membership, starting at 2% in 1920 through 15 % in 1936 to 65 % in 1987 (Riordan, 1964, p 565). However, there were exceptions, undermining this ideal picture of total Komsomol control, which took form protest[8] subcultures, which emerged at different points in soviet history. This essay will examine those acute exceptions through a comparative investigation of two protest youth subcultures[9]: The Foxtrotters[10] which emerged in the 1920s during NEP and the Styliagi, a subculture emerging during Late Stalinism[11] and existing throughout the Khrushchev’s rule[12]. The reason for my choice of the two groups is the resemblance of their nature: both subcultures embraced forbidden Western hedonistic and individualistic values and expressed them through flashy exaggerated western-like clothes and American dances. Therefore, my research question is “to what extent were the origins and nature of the Foxtrotters (1921-1929) and the Styliagi (1945-1964) subcultures in the USSR similar?” To answer this question I will also consider why two subcultures separated by the time period of almost 20 years choose the same form of alternate expression.

This essay is intended to contribute to an insufficiently explored area of Soviet social history and specifically the historical significance of alternate youth culture (Orlovsky, 1988). This field of study is of great interest to me as it has only been emerging in the past 30 years and there is no evidence of previous attempts to compare various youth subcultures across Soviet History (Gorsuch, 1992).

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