New Man Project in Ukrainian Social Engineering History: Communication Aspects

Abstract

The article looks into communication models of implementing the New Man project in recent Ukrainian history. The scientific novelty of this research implies thorough analysis of historical facts and communication processes through the lens of social engineering. The author draws on extensive theoretical material for a comprehensive interpretation of the social engineering concept. In this research social engineering in understood as an efficient technological model of managing social objects that is capable of working productively in crisis points of social, economic, and political development. Therefore, its main tool is a step-by-step system reform with ongoing communication support and careful forecasting of possible developments. However, recent world history has presented facts of radical social engineering when social modernization processes went hand in hand with political repressions, genocide programs, information blockade and massive propaganda. Unfortunately, in Ukraine the New Person project was implemented in the context of establishing a totalitarian regime. The author argues that the project of creating a New/Soviet Person turned into a communication platform of the Soviet regime establishment; it was implemented through the Bolsheviks’ well-planned information and cultural policies, pedagogical and educational technologies. The article shows the dynamics of the New Man concept transformation into the ideological construct of Soviet people ubiquitous in public discourse of the Stalinism era. The researcher analyzes cultural and scientific roots of the Soviet People project and concludes that under favorable historical progress Ukraine could have implemented truly effective social development projects.

Key words: eugenics, New Man, Soviet people, social engineering, communication technologies, propaganda.