Bueva, L. P. The Process of Expansion of Western Culture and Associated Contradictions

Abstract: The author of the article analyzes ideological sources of modern popular culture. Bueva addresses to the initial differences between elite and popular cultures and views the problem in terms of a quite unusual topic – the process of cultural expansion. Indeed, the development of contemporary mass media again and again raises the question about transformation and uni􀏔ication of the entire system of information 􀏔lows and expansion of culture and education. Bueva provides Karl Marx’ and Friedrich Engels’ ideas about the role of the means of mass in􀏔luence on people. Bueva also uses historical data and analyzes ideas offered by Vladimir Lenin, Nadezhda Krupskaya and Anatoly Lunacharsky. Much attention is paid to the social-critical aspect of mass communication. The method of historical analysis used by the author allows to study the genesis and development of the problem as it was created at the Age of Enlightenment. The author has also used polemic techniques when analyzing the concepts of mass communication. The novelty of the problem is caused by the fact that researchers usually pay special attention to the contents of mass communication and speci􀏔ic in􀏔luence of different channels of mass in􀏔luence on the audience. The mechanisms of the cultural expansion have never been a topic of such intensive analysis before.

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