What is the difference between social realism and socialistic realism?

Answer 1

Both Social realism and socialist realism are forms of realist art(or literature).... Realism in art means - the depiction of subjects as they appear in real life, everyday life, without embellishment or interpretation. It also means showing things as they truly are, with complete accuracy - even if they are ugly or evoke concern. As an artistic movement it began in France in 1850s. Social Realism: (or socio-realism) - It became popular mostly as an American artistic movement that began during the Great Depression. It depicts artistically, the instances of social, racial injustice, hardships (particularly of the working class) and other forms of life's struggle. We can trace this school back to the French realists. It went out of fashion in 1960s. What must be remembered is that social realism combines realist art with socialist (not marxist) political views. And in that sense it may be seen as similar to socialist realism. Socialist Realism: It is the school of realist art that has as its end the furtherance of goals of socialism/communism. It holds that successful art should depict and glorify the proletariat's struggle toward social progress. Socialist realism became the officially approved form of art in Soviet Union. And because all means of production belongs to the state, so did art (as it was a powerful means of Propaganda). The tendencies toward socialist realism began in the late 19th century. Maxim Gorky's novel Mother is considered to be the first true work of socialist realism. Social Realism is different from socialist realism because it is not an official art and allows subjectivity. But Socialist realism is considered to be an outgrowth of the Social Realism school of art.