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The pragmatics of absurdity
https://doi.org/10.31425/0042-8795-2019-5-108-137
Abstract
The analysis is focused on the pragmatics of V. Lenin’s articles ‘Party Organization and Party Literature’ [‘Partiynaya organizatsia i partiynaya literatura’] (1905) and ‘How to Ensure Success of the Constituent Assembly (on freedom of the press)’ [‘Kak obespechit uspekh Uchreditelnogo sobraniya (o svobode pechati)’] (1917). Foreign and Russian scholars alike considered the two works as components of the concept of Socialist state literature and journalism, conceived before the Soviet era. Based on examination of the political context, this work proves that Lenin was driven to write the articles by his fight for leadership in RSDRP. In 1905, Lenin obtained control over Novaya Zhizn, the newspaper under M. Gorky’s editorship, and insisted that opponents had to follow his censorship guidelines: the press had to become a propaganda tool rather than a source of income. Twelve years on, Lenin’s principles still reigned.
About the Authors
O. I. Kiyanskaya
Russian State University for the Humanities
Russian Federation
Doctor of History
Russian Federation
Doctor of History
D. M. Feldman
Russian State University for the Humanities
Russian Federation
Doctor of History
Russian Federation
Doctor of History
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Review
For citations:
Kiyanskaya O.I., Feldman D.M. The pragmatics of absurdity. Voprosy literatury. 2019;(5):108-137. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31425/0042-8795-2019-5-108-137
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