Reč predsedatelja delegacii sovetskich pisatelej [na Vtorom meždunarodnom kongresse pisatelej] t. M. Kol'cova (discorso di M. Kol'cov al secondo congresso internazionale degli scrittori) [10-07-1937] - [D046]

Concise description of the directive:

The false theory of “expression”, widespread among different peoples at different times, holds that the writer’s task is to decipher himself as best he can, immersing himself in himself, distancing himself from any kind of external influence in order to miraculously produce the substance of art. All of us here know that, on the contrary, the feelings and moods of writers are not born within us, but express the feelings of peoples and classes. Today, every writer has to choose which side to take, and there is no room for compromise. An example of compromise was attempted by André Gide, with his book full of slanders against the USSR. However, he failed to gain the trust of the left, and his book quickly became a bastion of fascist propaganda.