Soviet Union Political Communication and Its Impact on Buddhism in the Country during the 1920s-1930s

Abstract

The purposes of this research article were 1) to study the political role of Buddhism in Soviet Union during the 1920s-1930s; and 2) to study and analyze the political communication process of Soviet Union against Buddhism in the country during that period. This was a qualitative research by gathering information through related documents and research, analyzing and synthesizing data through descriptions and answering them according to the objectives. The results of the research found that during the 1920s-1930s, Buddhism was important to the Soviet Union in many ways. At first, Buddhism did not receive any resistance and was used as a tool to support revolution in the Far East. But Buddhism was later considered a threat and had to be eradicated from Soviet Union like other religions. In this regard, the political communication process of Soviet Union in opposition to Buddhism consisted of 1) sender: agency under the name “Union of Atheist Fighters”; 2) message: it contained messages that identified Buddhism as something that impeded progress. Message that attacked people involved in religion linking Buddhism with hostility both inside and outside the country; 3) media or channels: printed media in the form of journals, newspapers, political posters including the organization of lectures and academic conferences for opposing Buddhism; 4) receiver: Soviet citizens who believed in Buddhism in Buriatia, Kalmykia and Tuva; 5) feedback: overall, it was not successful because it was not possible to change the beliefs of local people to become members of government agencies and to stop practicing religion; 6 ) feedback: recognizing the failure of the Communist Party and the Atheist Fighter Union to drive anti-Buddhist sentiment in Buddhist cities in the Soviet Union. The results of the study can be used as a case study for studying the history of the relationship between religion and political ideology.