Male consumption demands in the urban space of Soviet Ukraine in 1920-1930s
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21847/1728-9343.2018.1(153).127535Keywords:
man, consumption, everyday life, city, Soviet Ukraine, 1920-1930sAbstract
The basic features and problems of male consumption in 1920-1930s are considered. The main aim of research is to analyze the material world and everyday life of the male consumer and his demands mainly in the urban space of Soviet Ukraine. The crucial role of Communist ideology and propaganda in the emergence of male consumer culture is discussed. It has been also paid attention on the great role of Soviet planned economic system that influenced on the material needs of ordinary consumers. Thus, it has been emphasized that the image of male consumer was not homogenous. Such features as social status, professional surroundings, accessibility to the distribution sources constructed its mosaics. Due to these reasons, it is not possible to construct the general image of male consumer, but only to characterize its various types, which belonged to different representatives of male population such as workers, Communist party's members, traders (nepmen), "red directors", or intellectuals. It has been examined that biography of male's things, their longevity was not the same as in comparison with female's ones, because of the less developed practices of suing and remaking clothes among the men. As consumers, they were not also broadly presented in various fashion magazines. It could be explained by the existing consumer policy towards them that excluded man from the fashion discourse. That's why as a result the male consumption could be presented as "forgotten" area of Soviet official discourse. Communist authorities were building new "byt" and had forgotten to satisfy everyday needs of the builders. Notwithstanding, the problems with shortages of goods and clothes forced men to create the new everyday practices, which included the usage of women's sewing services. Therefore, the practices of individual sewing of clothes were not developed among the men. Nevertheless, they took part in the modernization process of Soviet society and consequently accepted new industrial goods into their everyday consumer practices. The investigation of male consumer goods led to the conclusion that their biography, durability differed from female material world.
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