From Glasnost to Silence: The Collapse of Literary Freedom in Russia

In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev’s leadership in the Soviet Union initiated reforms, including glasnost, which allowed open discussion of previously forbidden topics. Publishers began printing previously censored literature. The dissolution of the USSR in 1991 further expanded public speech, flooding the Russian book market with memoirs, émigré writing, and avant-garde works. This period allowed open discussion about sex, previously taboo. However, the mood shifted in 2000 with Vladimir Putin’s presidency, leading to restricted access to archives and tighter state control of the media. Following protests in 2011–2012, control intensified through website blocking and prosecutions, along with the 2013 “gay propaganda” law, fostering self-censorship.

Gorbachev started reforms that eventually led to the dissolution of the state and introduced a politics of glasnost (“openness”).
For free speech, this meant restricted access to archives, tighter state control of the media, and the promotion of a new patriotic narrative in which many aspects of World War II and Soviet state crimes were no longer open to public discussion.
In 2013, the so-called “gay propaganda” law banned anything seen as promoting LGBTQ+ relationships to minors, part of a broader conservative turn.

📚 BookAddict’s Take: If you follow international publishing, this article provides important context for understanding the current constraints on literary freedom in Russia.

Source: Literary Hub |
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