During the 1960s the US went through a space craze where everything from Movies (2001: A space odyssey) and TV (The Jetsons) to Architecture (LAX Theme Building). But i was wondering how life was effected on the other side of the iron curtain? Are there any accounts of how it effected daily life of a normal citizen? Any response is helpful!
The Soviet Union needed to excel at something after losing the race to create nuclear weapons, sustaining significant losses in WW2 and destroying their economy. The space race and specifically the launch of Sputnik served to bolster public opinion of the government and to convince the masses that their economic suffering was benefiting a successful space program. Propaganda centered around the success of Sputnik, and it worked. In the absence of a true economy, propaganda filled the void and made it look like the government was acting in good faith.
The long term effects were more children interested in becoming involved, much like the trend in the US.
Here are some sources where you might find what you are looking for:
Asia's Space Race, James Moltz
Two Sides of the Moon, Alexei Leonov and David Scott
