Morality to support transnational solidarity between Soviet dissidents and Western intellectuals: Focusing on the year 1968

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26370860
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: History of Europe and America
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Matsui Yasuhiro 九州大学, 比較社会文化研究院, 教授 (70219377)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 異論派 / モラリティ / 1968年 / 人権 / 知識人

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed at elucidating the moral position of Western correspondents and intellectuals who supported the Soviet dissidents, in particular, a Dutch correspondent Karel van het Reve and a British well-known poet Steven Spender, who were supporters of Pavel Litvinov. As a result of analyzing their essays, diaries, memoirs, and others, both Reve and Spender had their experiences of joining the Communist Party of each country in the past, yet being disillusioned with the reality of the Soviet Union and leaving there. The study was able to clarify that their experiences strengthened the moral position to support the risky behaviors of Soviet intellectuals who were deprived of freedom of speech and expression under the communist ideology.

Free Research Field

西洋史