Khrushchev wanted to be more liberal with culture than Stalin. However, he realised that too much freedom could threaten Communist control. Therefore, his policies went through a series of 'thaws' and 'freezes' where he relaxed and then tightened control.
For example, a 'thaw' allowed artists to criticise Stalin. The novels 'The Thaw' and 'Not by Bread Alone' both did this.
Khrushchev believed that artists should be natural supporters of Communism. Therefore, he gave them more freedom. However, he believed that normal peasants weren't intelligent enough to understand art, so restricted their access to it.
An example of a 'freeze' would be when culture started to criticise Lenin. Doctor Zhivago was banned by Khrushchev because of its criticism of Lenin.
Women were more restricted when it came to culture. Propaganda campaigns called 'Style Hunters' and 'Loose Women' discouraged Western style clothing as they said it encouraged sexual promiscuity. However, these policies mainly failed because of the growing influence of Western culture.
Another example of a 'thaw' was when Khrushchev allowed jazz and African music to be played at the World Youth Festival held in Moscow in 1957. He also allowed European and Western composers to be taught in schools.
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Mass Media
In order to promote de-Stalinisation and to encourage a more consumer society, Khrushchev slightly relaxed censorship of the media. For example, popular magazines were published, which often included letters from the public about social issues. For example, in the Woman Worker, issues such as domestic violence were discussed.
Television ownership increased under Khrushchev. He used this to promote his wider aim to celebrate the successes of society rather than of individuals. For example, Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, grew up on a collective farm, a fact that was emphasised.
However, the media wasn't completely unchecked. The KGB still controlled political publications, foreign publications were still banned and the media was used to promote the agenda of the govenrment.
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Propaganda
Khrushchev was openly critical of Stalin's cult of personality. He said that worshipping Stalin like a hero was inherently anti-communist.
However, Khrushchev took steps to revive the cult of personality around Lenin. In propaganda, Lenin was often presented as an ordinary, approachable man. This was in order to distance the idea of Communism from Stalin's terror and reiterate its foundation on Lenin's revolution.
By 1958, Khrushchev had his own cult of personality. He was presented as a great reformer, a WW2 leader, an internationally respected politician and a disciple of Lenin.
However, by the 1960s this cult was undermined. Khrushchev had based his cult of personality on the idea of being a great reformer. But the failures of the Virgin Land Scheme and the Corn Campaign made this seem laughable.
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Religion
Similarly to Lenin, Khrushchev was against religion as he believed it was a means of social control. Therefore, his policies were aimed at damaging it.
In 1958, Khrushchev launched his anti-religion campain. The churches opened during the Second World War were shut down and anti-religious propaganda was published. In 1959, Catholic monasteries were closed. In 1960, the anti-religious publication 'Religion and Science' was published and access to holy sites was banned.
Khrushchev used the space programme to confirm that there was no God. Yuri G, the first man in space, claimed that there wasn't a heaven and Valentina Tereshkova said that travelling to space confirmed her atheism.
Khrushchev particularly aimed his campaigns at women. Studies showed that women attended church more frequently, wth 66% of Russian Orthodox and 80% of Protestant churchgoers being female. He said that men should lead religious education for the children, nuns were criticised in propaganda as being unnatural and any events held for women by the Church were banned.
Khrushchev's attempts to destroy organised religion worked. Between 1958 and 1965, the number of Russian Orthodox churches dropped by 3,000. However, he didn't discourage religious belief. Private prayer groups were set up, women home-schooled and private pamphlets were circulated.
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Terror
Khrushchev was critical of Stalin's use of terror and made a effort to reduce it under his leadership.
Terror used against members of the Party was abandoned completely. Debate was allowed within government, political prisoners were released and few new arrests were made.
However, terror wasn't abandoned completely. The secret police force still existed and serious threats against the government were investigated. Khrushchev also used a technique used repressive psychiatry, which meant his opponents were sent into mental homes. This was essentially to remove any political opposition.
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