The new Soviet man. Psychology and literature in the service of the Bolshevik utopia

Michał Gwiżdż’s book explores the concept of the “new man” as a central tenet of Soviet ideology and a tool for constructing a communist society. The work adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining literary and psychological analysis to demonstrate how literature and science served as instruments of propaganda and social consciousness shaping. The author thoroughly examines the evolution of the “new man” concept, tracing its origins in 19th-century utopian thought to its implementation by the Bolsheviks in the USSR. The book provides an in-depth analysis of Soviet literature and the application of psychological theories such as Pavlovian conditioning, psychoanalysis, and pedology to mold a new type of human being. A critical part of the monograph addresses the ideological enslavement of the individual and the impact of totalitarian power on shaping values and attitudes in Soviet society.