Russia 4 – Social Developments 1917-85
Family life, children and education
Core knowledge
Social Security: Work
1917 = high unemployment; War Communism = compulsory labour: work card = Key dates
rations. Rationing organised by Prodraspred. Communal dining halls for workers, Key dates
free transport in Moscow & Petrograd. BUT 50% drop in workers in Petrograd. 1918 – Compulsory
Unemployment returned under NEP (especially women); free creches ended. labour
Benefits = most comprehensive in world (BUT peasants excluded). 1919 – Zhenotdel
Full employment under collectivisation and industrialisation. Work = dangerous, Created
low standard of living, harsh discipline, 7 day working week, workers not allowed to 1930 – Zhenotdel
change jobs. Access to electricity and healthcare improved – mass vaccination Abolished
campaigns. Better in cities & party members had better access to benefits. 1940 – internal
Post-war: Decline in communal eating. Better healthcare (infant mortality halved Passports
1940-50; 2/3 more doctors 1947-52 and universal access to vaccines = malaria 1941-45 – women
declined after 1949) BUT still shortages in soap, shoes, food & poor sanitation
played an
Khrushchev = improve living standards. Doubled health & welfare budget. Health
active role in
improved in countryside and death and infant mortality rates dropped. Pension
WWII
budget quadrupled (more pensioners), free lunches in schools, offices & factories;
free public transport, full pensions and welfare rights for farmers 1947 – vaccines
Brezhnev = Social contract: rising standard of living & benefits for obedience & 1953 – women
conformity. (jobs, low prices, benefits (e.g. healthcare, almost free utilities, recruited for
subsidised holidays after 1970)). Spending on benefits up 5%pa under Brezhnev. Virgin Lands
BUT hidden unemployment 20%; labour shortages, female unemployment rising, Scheme
health declining (social problems). 1974 – BAM recruits
Housing women
1918 housing seized from previous owners. People living in single rooms of large
houses. Housing destroyed in Civil War. Some building in 1920s – collective living
BUT very few.
Housing shortages in cities under Stalin. Kommunalka: buildings divided into
rooms. Average space = 5.5m2 for a family (1940 down to 4m2). Problems: light
switches in wrong place, lack of sewerage and bathing facilities. Factory towns: Key words
Magnitogorsk. Factories prioritised over housing. Barrack style dormitories; lack of Prodraspred
running water, bathrooms, paved streets, electric lights. Social Contract
Post-war: WWII made housing situation worse. 15,000 beds for 26,000 people; one Kommunalka
basin for 70 people. Lack of building materials and not a priority in 4th 5YP. Khrushchyovka
Competed buildings = poor quality. Zhenotdel
Urban housing doubled; Khrushchyovka & K7 – cheap, pre-fabricated mass BAM
produced housing blocks (continued throughout 1970s-80s). Small but an
improvement. Created privacy (worried authorities)
Women & Work
Work in towns – Civil War: Zhenotdel recruited women for nursing and food
distribution; unemployment in NEP and rise in prostitution. Large number of
women in industry during 5YPs (from 3million 1928 to 13 million in 1940). 1955 =
49% of workforce. Fewer promotions & lower pay (60-65% of men’s pay). 74%
clerical positions = women. BAM project from 1974 – female recruitment.
Work in countryside = women = majority of collective farm workers; Triple shift
(farm, house & handicrafts); Low pay, low status (unless a female tractor driver).
Young women targeted for VLS – entice men & ‘caring’ roles. Sexual abuse =
common. Trends continued in 1970s. 1970 72% lowest paid farm workers = female.
Still nurturing role; 80% rural teaches = female.
WWII – by 1945 800,000 in combat roles. 3 female flying regiments (e.g. Night
Witches), gained respect BUT women denied roles after war.
‘WOW’ the examiner knowledge
Khrushchev was concerned about the USSR’s inability to produce sufficient sausage.
Alexandra Kollontai was head of the Zhenotdel – the Women’s Bureau
1950s – dances very popular. Govt. produced manuals for men. How to ask women to dance and deal with rejection.
Family life, children and education
Core knowledge
Social Security: Work
1917 = high unemployment; War Communism = compulsory labour: work card = Key dates
rations. Rationing organised by Prodraspred. Communal dining halls for workers, Key dates
free transport in Moscow & Petrograd. BUT 50% drop in workers in Petrograd. 1918 – Compulsory
Unemployment returned under NEP (especially women); free creches ended. labour
Benefits = most comprehensive in world (BUT peasants excluded). 1919 – Zhenotdel
Full employment under collectivisation and industrialisation. Work = dangerous, Created
low standard of living, harsh discipline, 7 day working week, workers not allowed to 1930 – Zhenotdel
change jobs. Access to electricity and healthcare improved – mass vaccination Abolished
campaigns. Better in cities & party members had better access to benefits. 1940 – internal
Post-war: Decline in communal eating. Better healthcare (infant mortality halved Passports
1940-50; 2/3 more doctors 1947-52 and universal access to vaccines = malaria 1941-45 – women
declined after 1949) BUT still shortages in soap, shoes, food & poor sanitation
played an
Khrushchev = improve living standards. Doubled health & welfare budget. Health
active role in
improved in countryside and death and infant mortality rates dropped. Pension
WWII
budget quadrupled (more pensioners), free lunches in schools, offices & factories;
free public transport, full pensions and welfare rights for farmers 1947 – vaccines
Brezhnev = Social contract: rising standard of living & benefits for obedience & 1953 – women
conformity. (jobs, low prices, benefits (e.g. healthcare, almost free utilities, recruited for
subsidised holidays after 1970)). Spending on benefits up 5%pa under Brezhnev. Virgin Lands
BUT hidden unemployment 20%; labour shortages, female unemployment rising, Scheme
health declining (social problems). 1974 – BAM recruits
Housing women
1918 housing seized from previous owners. People living in single rooms of large
houses. Housing destroyed in Civil War. Some building in 1920s – collective living
BUT very few.
Housing shortages in cities under Stalin. Kommunalka: buildings divided into
rooms. Average space = 5.5m2 for a family (1940 down to 4m2). Problems: light
switches in wrong place, lack of sewerage and bathing facilities. Factory towns: Key words
Magnitogorsk. Factories prioritised over housing. Barrack style dormitories; lack of Prodraspred
running water, bathrooms, paved streets, electric lights. Social Contract
Post-war: WWII made housing situation worse. 15,000 beds for 26,000 people; one Kommunalka
basin for 70 people. Lack of building materials and not a priority in 4th 5YP. Khrushchyovka
Competed buildings = poor quality. Zhenotdel
Urban housing doubled; Khrushchyovka & K7 – cheap, pre-fabricated mass BAM
produced housing blocks (continued throughout 1970s-80s). Small but an
improvement. Created privacy (worried authorities)
Women & Work
Work in towns – Civil War: Zhenotdel recruited women for nursing and food
distribution; unemployment in NEP and rise in prostitution. Large number of
women in industry during 5YPs (from 3million 1928 to 13 million in 1940). 1955 =
49% of workforce. Fewer promotions & lower pay (60-65% of men’s pay). 74%
clerical positions = women. BAM project from 1974 – female recruitment.
Work in countryside = women = majority of collective farm workers; Triple shift
(farm, house & handicrafts); Low pay, low status (unless a female tractor driver).
Young women targeted for VLS – entice men & ‘caring’ roles. Sexual abuse =
common. Trends continued in 1970s. 1970 72% lowest paid farm workers = female.
Still nurturing role; 80% rural teaches = female.
WWII – by 1945 800,000 in combat roles. 3 female flying regiments (e.g. Night
Witches), gained respect BUT women denied roles after war.
‘WOW’ the examiner knowledge
Khrushchev was concerned about the USSR’s inability to produce sufficient sausage.
Alexandra Kollontai was head of the Zhenotdel – the Women’s Bureau
1950s – dances very popular. Govt. produced manuals for men. How to ask women to dance and deal with rejection.
