The Hungarian city of Sztalinvaros, or "Stalin-City," was intended to be the paradigmatic urban community of the new communist society in the 1950s. In Stalinism Reloaded, Sandor Horvath explores how Stalin-City and the socialist regime were built and stabilized not only by the state but also by the people who came there with hope for a better future. By focusing on the everyday experiences of citizens, Horvath considers the contradictions in the Stalinist policies and the strategies these bricklayers, bureaucrats, shop girls, and even children put in place in order to cope with and shape the expectations of the state. Stalinism Reloaded reveals how the state influenced marriage patterns, family structure, and gender relations. While the devastating effects of this regime are considered, a convincing case is made that ordinary citizens had significant agency in shaping the political policies that governed them.

About the Author

Sandor Horvath is Senior Research Fellow of the Institute of History at the Hungarian Academy and Primary Coordinator of COURAGE, an international research project that explores cultural opposition in the former socialist countries in Eastern Europe. He also is the founding editor of The Hungarian Historical Review and has published widely in Hungarian on everyday life and socialism.

Reviews

Horvath's book is a nuanced and probing account of the social and cultural world of everyday socialism following the death of Stalin that takes nothing for granted.

* Amercan Historical Review *

Highly recommended.

* Choice *



Book Information
ISBN 9780253026811
Author Sandor Horvath
Format Paperback
Page Count 312
Imprint Indiana University Press
Publisher Indiana University Press
Weight(grams) 422g