History A-Level
Socialist Realism
What Socialist Realism means in History A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of Socialist Realism
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain Socialist Realism in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
The official doctrine requiring artists to depict Soviet life not as it was, but in an idealised, optimistic future state, glorifying the proletariat and Stalin's leadership.
Topics that use Socialist Realism
- 2N Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953 – Economy and society, 1929–1941 (A-level only) (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Collectivisation and agriculture
- Cult of personality
- Five Year Plans
- Foreign companies
- Ideological conformity
- Industrialisation and modernisation
- Propaganda
- Social mobility and living standards
Using Socialist Realism in the exam
Check the command word and mark scheme for your exact question. After comparing your explanation with the reference, use the term in an answer on the linked topic. This practice does not predict an exam mark.
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