DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM AND ITS EFFECT ON THE SOVIET CITIZEN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600060187-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 1, 2011
• Sequence Number: 187
• Publication Date: July 23, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
CE.NT1 AL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SUBJECT Dialectical Materialism and Its Effect on the
Soviet Citizen
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
REPORT
CD NO.
DATE DISTR. -1?S Jul 1954
NO. OF PAGES 7
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
"Comrade Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov", a hypothetical loyal citizen 01? the
USSR, differs greatly from his US contemporary,Mr John Doe. Iv::u has
been drilled from childhood in the concepts of dia]Lct.!cal ma~crialisla.
His mind is molded so that he will react to many situation? a ~y
which can be predicted only on a basis of a sound understcr_L ng ~.,
Communist psychology.
2. Lenin, in Volume Xi, (Page 61k) of his book entitled "Selected I. defines dialectical materialism as "the living soul of Marxis- -u "its
fundamental theoretical root". Ho and his heirs adopted it !:_id
promoted it to the status of the sole official state philosc~,;.y, i.?.,.:Ivledge
of which is mandatory for all Soviet citizens. Basically, it ca:(
eummsri-7,ed by saying that all things and events are inter-related c-.,
serve simultaneously as both causes and results and that qualitative
occur as r re^uit of accumulated quantitative c ::a gee
hanges.
3. In the Soviet eof Union planned distribution embraces not only rev aaterials,
iqplements production, mdnufaeturpi
o
d
g
o
s and foodsiuffs, ';: anything
else that may be centralized and standardized, including education and
ideological i.ndoctr:tnaiion, jThe Soviet people are continuously exposed
to the powerful Communist propaganda machine. This propaganda, based on
dialectical materialism, dominates all phases of Soviet li;e and is found
everywhere, even invading the individual home. Sir Walter Cttizinea
UK GOciologist, after visiting tie USM, wrote in his book, Search of
Trutho h in Ressia": "propaganda is everywhere, there is no escape from it
challenge to f.t. There is never any other source from which the
worker can learn the other side, Be o b"rs one aiy
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v+s~REwnon
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dreadful thing about it."
4. The principals of dialectical materialism contained in the propaganda
interpret the historical past, the present and the future for"Comrade
Ivanov". The unity and inter-relationship of all things a..: interpreted
to imply complete negation of Divine Will. Under the principles of
dialectical materialism it is the dialectical movemew, or the uiverse
that form the historical process. The economic system of a society,
which Marx defined as the sub-structure, always provides the real basis
of the society and religion, ethics, laws and conventions are a super-
structure built upon and determined by it, according to Marx' book,
elected Works" (Volume I). It means further that all things are of a
temporary and relative value and they may be evaluated and judged only
in relation to other things. Permanent values and objective standards
of human behavior do not exist. For example, the Soviets reason that
in relation to a feudal past, capitalism was beneficial, but in relation
to a sociali?t future, capitalism is oval and must be destroyed. It can
be seen that ?_oncepts of truth, morality and ethics are always relative
and one sided.
'. While addre_:.::. the Third Congress of thi Soviet Young Communists League
(Komsomol), Lenin said: "Is there such a ziin8 -? rnmmunist ethics?
Is there such a thing as Communist morality? Of course there is. It is
often made to appear that we have no ethics of our own; and very often
the bourgeoile,who derived ethics from the commandments of God,
derived them from idealist or semi-idealist phrases, which always, Uuuunted
to something very similar to God's commandments. We repudiate all morality
derived from non-human and non-class concepts. We say that is is a decep-
tion, a fraud in the interests of the landlords and capitalists. We say
that our morality is entirely subordinated to the interests of the class
struggle of the proletariat. . . The class struggle is still continuing.
We subordinate our Communist morality to this task. We say: morality
is what serves to destroy the old exploiting society and to unite all the tailers
LlBi.Z/ around the proletariat, which is creating a new Communist
society. We do not believe in an eternal morality".
6. This explains why Communists are ready to use unlimited opportunism with
respect to means as long as they serve the ultimate goal of Communist
world domination. "Comrade Ivanov" therefore learns early in life that
the end justifies the means used for its achievement. He can understand
why, without any sense of ccntradictio4 or hypocrisy local wars
or peace campaigns,treaties`.rith Fascist or democratic states, inter-
national trade or boycott, hard diplomacy or soft diplomacy, can all be
justified if they improve the position of the Communist Party in its world
struggle. However, no problems may be cited in terms of general priciples
alone without taking into connideration the actual circumetaucea. There
are times, for example, when it is right for working people to go out
on strike and there are times when it is not. "Comrade Ivanov" is con-
stantly reminded that things must be considered not in. isolation but in
their inseparable interconnection. It means that all sectional and
temporary interests must always be sacrificed for-and subordinated to the
long-term interests of the Pars__ "Coerad,e _Ivanov" is told again and
again that the Communist Party is the best and most effective instrument
fc, achieving the ultimate goal of Com.unist world society. Consequently,
he is made to believe that good is that which is beneficial to the Party
and that the so-celled Part; line in :.lwys to be regarded as tht: absolute
truth; that only the Party had a legitimate right, justified by the goal,
to possess and to exercise power.
7. No deviation from the Party line can be tolerated. "Comrade Ivanov"
knows very well that it is not possible to oppose the Party. 3lo,g ws,
vMchappear under numerous portraits of Lenin, state categorically
that "Who is not with us is 01W enemy!" J Monnerot, a well-known
student of Soviet sociology, woe to the following conclusion in regard
to this peculiar principle of Communist philosophy and wrote the following
in his brok entitled, "Sociology of Communism":
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"And suppose a ita, really is in the right against the Party, is not
this :_e essence if criminality? If, being in the right, he is
mentally oppos,-6 to the Party's actions, he has at least that much
in common with the enemy, and this is the first link in the chain
which connects the secret opposition with the enemy's world"..
This, gradually, it becomes clear to "Comrade Ivanov" that at -very point
the fundamental question, where a decision must be made as to right and
wrong, is - how will it effect t'.e Communist cause? Motivated by fear
and the instincts of self-preservation, "Comrade Ivanov" builds nis
whole psychology arounc, this concept. He knows that even the Soviet
C:ustitution stipulates the relative nature of civil rights. For instance,
Ariicle 125 of the 1936 Constitution, reads in part as follows:
"In conforming with the interests oj. the working people, and in
order to strengthen the socialist system, the citizens of the USSR
are guaranteed by law, freedom of speech, freedom of the press,
freedom of assembly, including the holding of mass meetings, and
freedom of et processions and demonstrations."
Thus, civil f:. oms may be exercised only so that they will conform
with "the interests of the working people: which means the interests of
the Communist Party, and will serve to 'strengthen the socialist system",
which means the Communist cause.
8. Raymond A Bauer, a student of the Soviet Union, wrote as follows in his
book entitled: "The New Man in Soviet Psychology":
"Another Bolshevik premise of importance here is that of unity of
truth. The ideology of Soviet society, it is maintained, is
'scientific' and self-consistent. Therefore, there can be only
one correct theory in any area. In fact, there can only be one
current., general theory-Marxist ideology-and all particular theories
muet'be consistent with it."
9. To maintain the assertion that the Party line always represents absolute
truth and wisdom is possible only by means of a contrast. An absolute
good requires an absolute evil. Dialectical materialism excluded any
possibility of a compromise between, or a combination of, bad and good.
Therefore, "Corr?ade Ivanov" is conditioned to be able to are and dis-
tinguish only two basic colors: black and white. He is--taught that
outside the Soviet Union everything is bad and everybody is unhappy. It
is, therefore, quite obvious that everything in the Soviet Union should
be good and all Soviet citizens should be happy. In reality, however,
things are not that simple. For example, how can "Comrade Ivanov" be
made to bo'teve that a railroad accident, which occurred in the Soviet
Union, is a ht?ppy event; or that the pair of shoes which "Comrade Ivanov"
managed L ay, is good,. despite the fnct that both shoes are for the
left foot? To avoid confusion and to deliver "C9mrede Ivanov" from
temptation, dialectical materialism provided an effective and safe
renadyr. It is called rational discussion or criticism and self-criticism.
One of the leading Comnlist.theorists, Andzey.2hdanov, made the
follorina statement about the nature and. ;a.;~Zi ,mom of this dialec-
tica,. method in his speech at the Philosophical Workers Conference
in 1947 (bolahevik'Volume VII, 1947, Page 12):
"in our Soviet society, where antagonistic classes have been
eliminated, thr struggle between the old and the new, and con-
sequently the development frog the lower to the higher, proceeds
not in the form of struggle between antagonistic and cataclysmic
classes as in the caseemder capitalism, but in the form of
criticise and self-critlelam,.which is the real. motive force
of our development, a Rowrtul.iattrneaat +.a the hands of tbP.
Party. This is incontestably a new form of movement, a new
typo at development, a. new dialectical. law".
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Statements such as tia,s, calling for criticism, and self-criticism,
have bee, a common feature of Soviet life from the time of the intro-
duction of the first Five ;ear Plan (1928-1929) down to the present.
Stalin himself wrote in his "History of the Communist Party in the
Soviet Union" as follows:
"A party is invincible, if it does not fear criticism and self-
criticism, if it does not gloss over the mistakes and defects
in its work, if it teaches and educates its cadres by drawing
the lessons from the mistakes in Party work, and if it knows
how to correct its mistakes in tirae."
Likewise, Malenkov stated in his speech to the 19th Congress of the
Communist Party as follows:
"Criticism and self-criticism is the Party's tried and tested
weapon in the battle against the shortcomings, mistakes, and
unhealt:b:y phenomena which undermine its sound organism.
Criticism a' self-criticism does not weaken, but strengthens
the Sovie+ ::,,ate, the Soviet social system and this is a sign of
its vigo_ and vitality".
Practically every periodical published in the Soviet Union dedicates
a special page or section to criticism and self-criticism and it
serves as an important controlling device and an outlet for "Comrade
Ivanov'e" grievances and complaints, which otherwise could develop
into dangerous dissatisfactions within the regime as a whole.
10. Actually, from the point of view of a bourgeoisie observer Soviet
Mtititm Maid self-rrititild is ndthing btlt A form df dklAtfite &hd
carefully planned hypocrisy. Nothing and nobody is being criticized
without an appropriate blessing from Soviet authorities. Even self-
criticism is only a planned "confession" supplementing the official
Soviet propaganda. Yet, for "Comrade Ivanov", who conceives freedom
of speech as the ability to buy Soviet newspapers, criticism and
self-criticism represent a genuine democratic achievement.
11. Since, tecording to another principle of dialectical materialism.
the whole historical process is the result of a continuous synthesis,
every period of :evolutionary enthusiasm is bound to be followed by
a period of spiritual depression. io find an antidote for such
spiritual depression and to keop "Comrad' Ivanov"in a state of perma-
nent-agitation, necessary artificial stimuli have to be periodically
introduced. This "making of history" is done at carefully chosen
historical moments and under strict supervision of the Communist
Party. To such artificial antithesis, which influence "Comrade
Ivanov's" life, belong notorious show-trials, public purges, pea."
offensives and various "shock" campaigns. While still attending
high school, "Comrade Ivanov" learns the meaning of one more basic
idea of dialectical materialism, namely, the law of transportation
of quantitative into qualitative changes. He is patiently taught that
all change has a quantitative aspect, that 1s? an aspect of mere increase
or decrease which does not miter the nature?of that which changes. But
quantitative change, increase or c'.ecrease, cannot go on indefinitely.
The` qualitative change suddenly occurs at a certain critical point.
This, "Comrade Ivanov" is told, is the most important differerc. between
mere growth and development. 'He is shown several laboratory experiments
illustrating this theory. For instance, transformation of water into
steam, a weight attached to a cord where the weight can be increased
until a certain point is reached and the cord is broken, etc. During
these lectures, his professor never fails to point out that, unlike
all bourgeoisie philosophies, dialectical materialism is a real science
which as be supported by laboratory experiments. By this time "Comrade
Ivanov is ready to we one step further along the road of dialectical
materialism. He learns from his professor that the principles
involved in the development of soe?ety are not opposed to but are in
essence the smex as thoseinvo1V4W-jtr'4i4,flvelopment of nature. There-
fore, society cannot be c sd by evolutionary reforms (quantitative
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change), but only by revol',.tionary means (qualitative change). Stalin
formulated thic law in the following way:
"The dialectical method therefore holds that the process of
development from the lower to the higher takes
l
p
ace not as har-
monious unfolding of phenomena, but as a disclosure of the contra-
dictions inherent in things and phenomena, as a 'struggle' of
opposite tendencies which operate on the bb?sis of these contra-
dictions".
This he set forth in his book entitled, "Dialectical and Historical
Materialism". Thus, "Comrade Ivanov" learns to perceive life as the
strur,;le of opposing contradictions for survival. He knows that in
this struggle between Communism and Capitalism a permanent compromise
is a reconciliation of the differences and is unthinkable and that the
socialist transformation of society is possible only on the basis of the
transformation of quantitative into qualitative changes (revo1. -ions and
wars for 'liberation') and of unity and struggle of opposites (class
struggle). He also kn,-vs that in this struggle the ultimate victory
cannot be easily wor Stalin himself gave "Comrade Ivanov" a warning in
this regard, when ;aid;
"Something in life is always dying. But that which is dying refuses
to die quietly; it fights for its existence, defends its cause .
The struggle between .he old and the new, between the dying and the
such is the foundation of development."
This was set forth in Stalin's report to the 15th Congress of the Commun-
iet Party of the Soviet Union.
12. As to the selections of the means and methods of struggle, "Comrade Ivanov"
knows his dialectical materialism well enough to understand that they
must be determined entirely by the concrete objective conditions. In his
article entitled "Guerilla Warfare", written in 1906, Lenin observed as
follows:
"Marxism insists that the question of the methods of struggle shall
be investigc*d ;rom an absolutely historical standpoint. Those who
would treat this question a,^art from the concrete historical cir-
cumetrnces simply fail to uadstand the vrrv elements of dialectical
mater eliem. In the var+!ous periods of economic evolution and
depending on tb': "arying political, na?ional and cultural, social and
other condi..iou&, various methods of struggle assume prominence and
become t?.e chief methods of struggle, and accordingly the secondary
and supplementary methods of struggle also
attempt to express a definite opinion, yes, ono,ir their To
-o
particular .-:hod of struggle, t
cumstances of the ruggle, without subjecting the code ccr any
concrete cir-
given moment and the given stage of its develop-
ment to careful analysis, -simply means rbandonin& the standpoint o?
Marxism completely.
Thus for "comrade Ivanov" the choice between one or the other of the
:+eapons in the Communist arsenal, vhihh range'from a too political speech
on the possibility of peaceful existence to a super hydrogen bomb, is
merely a matter of expediency. He knows that the Party leadership is
governed only by logic of dialectical materialism.
13. Finally, there is une derY i mportea',, principle of dialectical mate~risliam.
which "Comrade Ivanov" is required to study. This principle implies that
negation is the condition for pobitive progress, in which the old is abolished
only after it has already produced the condition for the transition to the new.
This is the so-called law of the "negation of negation". "Comrade Ivanov"
is told that through the negation of negation the old stage in many
processes oY mature, history and thought is repeated on a higher level.
$n is 1rote in his book entitled "Anti-Duhring", that:
"Negation in dialectics~8oei=not?msan simply no."
cGiirx r .
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when a Communist says that he is against something, he actually means
that ht- s for something different. The negation is a positive advance.
The ola is not simply abolished; it is abolished only after it has itself
given rise to chc conditions for the new stage of progress. "Comrade
Ivanov" learns that a revolutionary period, a negation of the old society,
is actually twofold: it implies not only destruction of the old system,
b uL also creation of a new one. He is to conceive of revolution r'ut as
an end to the old order, as a destruction of the old civilization, but
rather as their substitution with the new ones. This, "Comrade Ivanov" is
told, is the fundamental difference between the Marxian revolutionary theory
on the one hand, and nihilism on the other.
14. Engels defined negation of negation as follows:
"What, therefore, is the negation of the negation? An extremely
general - and for this reason extremely comprehensive and important -
law of development of nature, history and thought . . . It is obvious
that in des^..ribiug any evolutionary process as the negation of the
negation I do nr' =ay anything concerning the particular process of
development . . When I say that all these processes are the negation
of the negat ,:n, I bring them all together under this one law of
motion, and for this very reason I leave out of account the peculiari-
ties of each separate process. Dialectics is nothing more than the
science of the general laws of motion and development of nature,-human
society and thought."
15. Lenin has pointed out that there is "a development that seemingly repeats
the stag.:s already passed, out repeats them in a new way, on a higher basis
a development, so to speak, in spirals, not in a straight line." This
was -7,!t forth in Lenin's book entiL.ied "Selected Workd; Volume VII .
"Co-,rade Ivanov" is given examples of such development in history of
economic institutions, philosophy, art and literature. He is told, for
instance, that primitive communism was negated and rep'_sced by capitalism,
and that modern c--munism arises as the negation of that capitalism. Here
again his professor points out that the negation of negation is a real
scientific law w -ice. operates also in nature. The higher development of life
takes place thrcu;~
_ its negation and is possible only at the cost of death.
This law is also found in :Ile series of chemical elements in which properties
of elements of lo-,!r -tonic weight disappear and then reappear in the
elements of higher- -;nic weight. Other examples are found in geology
and mathematics ac ':.iina to Engels. "Comrade Ivanov" is warned that only
by using this formu.3 of negation of negation, will he be able to find
correct interpretation of complex and often confusing situations. Here is,
for instance, in his book, "Dialectical and Historical Materialism", what
Stalin had to say about one of such highly confusing problems:
"We are for the withering away of the state. And yet we also believe
in the proletarian dictatorship which represents the strongest and
mightiest form of state power that has existed up to now. To keep
on developing state poorer in order to prepare the conditions for `he
withering awn- ?')P state power - that is the Marxist formula. Is ii
'contradictory'? Yes, 'contradictory'. But the contradiction is
vital, and. wholly reflects the Marxist dialectics . Whoever has
not understood this feature of the contradictions belonging to one
traditional time, whoever has not understood this dialectic of
historic--' processes, that pernou is dead tc Marxism".
From his daily experience, "Comrade Ivanov" knows very well that "dead to
Marxism" may easily mean also physically dead. Therefore, he will make
a superhuman effort to master his dialectics.
?6. This methci of the negation of negation it supposed to provide "Costade
Ivanov" with satisfactory explanations for all seeming paradoxes and incon-
sistencies which he ray discover in the theory and practice of Communism.
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By using this method of thinking,"Comrade Ivanov" can, for instance,
understand why it is perfectly all right for the.Comnnists to profess
freedom while practicing dictatorship. He knows and accepts the fact
that the Communist leaders are guided by this kind of "new logic". He
knows that no matter what the cost in present sacrifices there must be
built ur a new order in which human beings vould find a complete libera-
tion. It is this Ideal end which gives the Communist Party sbsoln?'
power over the lives of millions of"Comrade Ivanovs".
17. It is important to know this Comsunist.philosophy and attitude if it is
to be attacked psychologically. It is necessary to know what areas of
"Comrade Ivanov'n" mind remain open for such an attack. It is necessary
to-know what words would'reach the heart of "Comrade Ivanov" and which
propaganda appeals would strike hone. To assume that "Comrade Ivanov"
and his fellow citizens are merely victims of the red tyranny, and that
they act in accordance with the Communist theory only because of their
fear of nuniabpent is wishful thinking and a dangerous simplification of
the problem. Dialectical materialism, as it is applied in the UBBS,
teaches "Comrade Ivar not only what to think, but -how to think. His
mind is rendered responsive only to certain stimuli and there he can think
only in terms of dialectical materialism. To reach deep inside of his,
all offers of freedom from the red dictatorship, and asylum under our free
system must be eaprsssed in similar terms. The Comunist.ideology can, be
most effectively challenged only by another ideology or idbologies'which'
start from the same principles. "Comrade Ivanov'a" mind cannot.be put into
reverse at once and only a slow and gradual process can turn it away.fi m,,
Commnism.
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