The main features of the culture of political relations between the USSR and the People's Republic of China

Van Jiehan PhD in Cultural Studies Postgraduate student, Department of Regional Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University 119991, Russia, Moscow region, Moscow, Leninskie Gory str., 1 wjie8160@gmail.com Other publications by this author

The main vectors of the development of the political cultures of the two countries

The relevance of such a study is emphasized in the context of modern challenges facing the world community in the field of politics and international relations. The analysis of the political cultures of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China is of particular interest for understanding the historical trajectories of the development of these states and their impact on the modern world. At the same time, in recent years there has been an increasing interest in this topic on the part of researchers. For example, V. I. Burenko presented a study of the origins of modern Russian political science ^[6], N. A. Efimenko analyzed the perception of Russian history through the prism of the political situation in China in the 50s of the XX century ^[10], M. V. Medovarov Considered the political culture of Russia and foreign countries in historical perspective and at the present stage ^[13], Sobolev V. A. highlighted the stages of the formation of political science in the USSR ^[17], and Tulchinsky G. L., In addition to the history of Russian Political culture, also considered its development prospects ^[18].

In the middle of the twentieth century, the trajectories of the culture of political relations in the USSR and China were crucial for a detailed comparative analysis, since they highlight the operational spirit of the political systems of the respective states, the fundamental principles and values that they defended, as well as strategic goals, methodologies used to implement their comprehensive goals ^{[12, p. 161]}. The multifaceted directions of policy formation, inherently dependent on the unique characteristics of each political system, the immediate needs of society and the prevailing problems of the era, covered a whole range of main directions, including the centralization of state power ^{[12, pp. 247-271]}, the democratization of public structures ^{[15, p. 75]}, the pursuit of economic progress, the protection of social equality ^{[9, p. 5]}, protection of human rights and formulation of a foreign policy position ^{[11, p. 11-12]}.

A thorough study of the vectors of policy formation helps to decipher the ambitions and aspirations of political entities, the dynamic transformations taking place in the social structure, and the manifestation of these shifts in the field of political practice. Careful analysis of these trajectories of political decision-making makes it easier to predict potential events and allows you to critically assess the effectiveness of political decisions.

Summarizing the data gleaned from an array of scientific papers and historical sources ^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][13]}, It becomes obvious that it is possible to identify the main vectors of the evolution of the culture of political relations in the USSR in the 1950s. Special attention should be paid to the ideological orientation, which serves as the cornerstone of the Soviet culture of political relations, as well as various areas that formed the structural building of Soviet society in terms of both value systems and regulatory standards. Moreover, the centralization of power under the auspices of the Communist Party is noteworthy; the party apparatus was entrusted with making fateful decisions that determined the fate of the nation and its citizens, which were subsequently executed by the state machine. The Soviet political culture of that era was unequivocally based on the principles of egalitarianism, justice and the relentless pursuit of social well-being for every person, combined with the cultivation of unwavering devotion to the government apparatus ^{[6, pp. 167-168]}.

In the complex geopolitical landscape of the mid-20th century, the Soviet Union's commitment to a carefully organized planned economy, backed by state-oriented planning and centralized allocation of resources, was the cornerstone guiding its economic trajectory, fostering growth and guiding development. This economic paradigm was complemented by a foreign policy characterized by active participation in global conflicts and the formation of strategic alliances with other nation States.

These key elements of the political evolution of the USSR profoundly influenced the nature of its political system, determined its interaction with citizens and the international community and formed the contours of its socio-cultural political relations ^{[5, p. 10]}.

At the same time, in the 1950s, China embarked on a vigorous path of industrialization and economic growth. This era was marked by concerted efforts to develop industry, agriculture and the economy as a whole. The Chinese Government has initiated large-scale social reforms aimed at improving living standards, expanding access to education and health care, and eradicating disasters such as illiteracy and poverty. At the same time, the Communist Party of China (CPC) consolidated its power, creating a more stable political climate within the country. In the field of foreign affairs, China played an active role, establishing diplomatic ties with many countries and participating in international organizations, as Perevezentsev notes ^{[16, p. 448]}.

Although the trajectories of China's development and The Soviet Union had striking parallels during this period, especially in their emphasis on national security — a paramount issue in the Cold War era, when both countries paid significant attention to strengthening their defense capabilities and suppressing internal differences — the integration of these main vectors of political and cultural evolution had a profound impact on the formation of the worldviews of their citizens, thereby determining the nature of their political systems and the structure of their societies.

The main agents of policy-making both in China and in the The Soviet Union in the 1950s reflected a common desire to modernize their countries, strengthen their status on the world stage and improve the well-being of their population, reflecting a collective desire for progress and prosperity ^{[13, p. 25]}.

The political cultures of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, as symbolic bastions of communist ideology, demonstrate a complex interaction of both coincidences and discrepancies in their basic attributes. A careful study of the general characteristics of these political cultures sheds light on the profound influence of ideological principles, power hierarchies and nuances of the political process on the formation of civic consciousness and behavioral paradigms of their citizens. This discourse attempts to compare the main elements of the Soviet and Chinese culture of political relations by identifying their similarities and distinctiveness, as well as exploring the determinants that determine their similarities and differences.

The subsequent facets of Soviet and Chinese culture of political relations can be considered as common attributes:

• Ideologization and authoritarianism: note that both countries are characterized by authoritarian regimes in which political power is monopolized by one party (the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the USSR and the Communist Party of China) and is personified by a central figure (the General Secretary or the President of the state).

• Centralization of power, the system: both in the USSR and in China has a centralized management structure in which decision-making is carried out at the top of the political hierarchy, assigning a subordinate role to local administrative bodies.

Ideology: based on the fact that the communist creed, which promotes the superiority of socialism over capitalism, is the cornerstone of both countries, and its key components are class struggle, building a communist society and unwavering devotion to the party.

• Control over society: clearly visible both in the USSR and in In China, the State exercises strict control over social dynamics, applying censorship, encroaching on freedom of expression and assembly, as well as monitoring dissident actions.

• Political cults, which are caused by the phenomenon of leader-centered personality cults (such as Stalin in the USSR and Mao Zedong in China) and systematic indoctrination of the population are common in both countries ^{[8, pp. 259-264] [14]}.

Although the political cultures of the USSR and China is intertwined by a common communist background, they are also shaped by their respective historical narratives, cultural ethos and distinctive national circumstances, resulting in a rich web of political traditions that is both unified and distinctly detailed.

Comparison of differences between the political cultures of the USSR and the PRC

The political cultures of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, as two outstanding communist giants of the 20th century, require careful comparative analysis, delving into the intricacies of their political systems, ideological principles and social values.

Comparative assessments of Soviet and Chinese political cultures can be carried out in several basic dimensions:

• Ideology, we note that the political doctrine of the USSR was based on a communist ideology based on Marxism-Leninism, which emphasized the need for class struggle and the desire to establish a socialist order. Conversely, China's communist ideology was filled with characteristic nationalist elements embodied in concepts such as "socialism with Chinese characteristics" and "three representatives".

• The political system is due to the fact that the administration of the Soviet Union was characterized by a one-party autocracy led by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, while China was ruled by the Communist Party of China. The Soviet Union's governance model was noticeably centralized, in contrast to China's relatively decentralized approach.

• Economic policy, the USSR was unwavering in its commitment to centralized economic planning, while China embarked on a trajectory of economic reforms that promoted market relations and privatization initiatives.

• International relations — The USSR became the vanguard of global communism, taking an active position in the international arena.

• Political culture, the USSR was synonymous with reverence for individual leaders and strict censorship protocols, while China also had a censorship apparatus, albeit with comparatively less rigidity in certain respects.

To sum up, despite the comprehensive similarities in their political systems and ideological foundations, both China and the USSR possessed distinctive features and differences in their political cultures, indelibly shaped by the historical, cultural and geopolitical environment unique to each nation.