The relevance of the research topic is due to the fact that there is currently a rethinking of the role and place of the Soviet cultural heritage in the life of modern Russian society and the state. According to numerous sociological studies, in recent years there has been a clear drop in the level of culture of the population. This is manifested in a decrease in the amount of knowledge in the field of literature, art, and music, which is demonstrated by representatives of all social groups, and in the reorientation of a significant part of young people, service workers, and intellectuals to the values of mass culture. The chronological framework of the study is determined by the period of the second half of the 70s – 80s of the XX century. This small segment of history contains events that allow us to fully trace the genesis of the spiritual determinants of Soviet cultural policy and practice, as it covers the last years of the USSR's existence, the activities of the Soviet government, the organizational and ideological foundations of which were laid in the early years of Soviet power. The main event in this period of both national and world history was the end of the existence of the USSR as a single state, the collapse of the socialist ideology. The significance of this event has yet to be assessed, perhaps by the next generations of scientists. The reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union, the collapse of its statehood and ideological foundation, are very diverse and, in our opinion, diverse. Today, the study of the processes that led to the demise of a great power has not only historical, but also practical significance. In the whole complex of reasons, the spiritual component can be singled out separately. An important place here is occupied by the complex relationship between government and society, culture and ideology, the state and the individual, the aggravation of which intensified the general crisis of the Soviet system. The study of these processes is very relevant. According to the authors of the article, in these conditions, the appeal to the Soviet cultural heritage acquires special importance. There is a need for an objective assessment of Soviet culture in the national historiography of public administration. It is knowledge of the historical experience of the past that can prevent the repetition of mistakes on the way to overcoming crisis phenomena in the field under study.

В статье анализируются основы организации системы государственного управления культурой в СССР в 70–80-е годы прошлого века на базе нормативных актов и официальных документов того времени. Показаны различные уровни органов управления данной системы и их компетенции с учетом структурно-функционального назначения. Предлагается рассмотреть возможность использования этого исторического опыта в деятельности органов государственного управления культурой в условиях современной России.