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Social Developments 1917-35 - Social Security - Coggle Diagram
Social Developments 1917-35 - Social Security
Full Employment Benefits
employernt under Stalin
social benefits
food rations
better public transportation
vaccinations against common diseases including typhus and malaria were universal from 1947
specialist jobs
during 1920s and 1930s, the country was Abe to increase the number of specialist jobs
included more midwives and engineers
from 1926. - 1939, the number of specialists rose from half a million to 12 million
more and more jobs created outside agriculture, by 1939, 33% of people
after 1931, the govt turned away from a system, of egalitarian pay and a stricter hierarchy was introduced
historical assessment
Stephen Kotkin (1999):
'Soviet workers were not passive objects of the state's design [...]' We should not assume that Soviet workers were brainshwashed into working or enjoying their work
for many people, especially those who moved to large cities from small villages, the security, and rewards of being a Soviet worker were genuinely appealing and satisfying. being a Soviet worker gave people an identity
working conditions
often incredibly dangerous in industrial jobs
compulsory under Stalin
introduced as way to get more people back into the labour force
5YP's created enough jobs for full employment among urban men and more jobs for females
He pursued 5YP's under USSR's economy and focussed it on heavy industry
War Communism and the NEP
impact of war communism
failed to meet workers' needs because the rations were too small
led to many workers leaving their factories in search of food
1/4 of people left the cities
NEP - New Economic Plan
with its more liberal economic policies, led to higher unemployment
1924: 18% of the urban workforce was unemployed
social benefits
SU had an incredibly well-developed system of social benefits for its labour force. arguably the most thorough in the world
social insurance included maternity pay, unemployment benefits and medical benefits. disabled people also received benefits via it
urban families also received education, which the state paid for
peasants did nit have access to such welfare benefits
historical assesment
Orlando Foges: 'A Peoples Tradegy'
'Under the NEP, some of the trappings of the modern world began to trickle down to the villages. Electric power came. Even Andreevskoe [a village outside of Moscow] had its first electric cables in 1927 [...] Lenin extolled the new technology as a panacea (solution) for Russia's backwardness. " Communism equals Soviet power plus the electrification of the country", his famous slogan went'
communist aims
Lenin and Stalin wanted all on society wo could work to do so
USSR's economic policy was largely shaped by political conditions. during CW, Lenin implemented war cimmunism. this was very strict so NEP replaced war communism, more liberal
War Communism
rationing was imposed for food and fuel
this was regulated through Prorasped (Section of General Distribution)
in the early years, everyone received a work card in return for their work and this gave them access to benefits
everyone aged 16-50 had to fight in the army or work
housing and health care under Stalin
living standards
shortages
a lack of focus on consumer goods led to shortages
this led to the 'blat' (black market) flourishing. fake ration cards were common
outside the party membership, people needed to create a network of people to help them find the food and goods they needed
bureaucracy
increased, which made it even more difficult for people to get what they needed. as a result , many supported the anti-corruption trials by the government
western observers
seemed to see that Soviet citizens as optimistic about their future job prospects
historical assessment of wages
Barber has argued that there was a further decline . moonlighting (working several jobs) was very common. suggests that most members of family were working harder. than before just to survive
Shapiro argued that in the decade from 1928, wage value halved
historians mostly agree that the value of real wages fell during 1930s
living conditions
health and welfare
there's was poor sanitation in the workplace. outbreaks of diseases were common
infant mortality rose
peasants weren't entitled to rations like urban workers had been
food shortages meant that rotten food and animal feed were found in work canteens
infant mortality rose
free medical care was a huge positive
poor diets in the 1920s-30s led to a decline in public health
the number of doctors had increased fourfold by 1940
transferring houses
1920s: the govt took away existing property from the rich and gas it to poor families
building houses
families lived in single rooms of 4 to 5.5 square metres
barrack- style buildings were used to house factory workers
urban housing consisted of communal apartments, known as kommunalka
many were forced to share beds with others because of shortages
there were some successes in new house builiding. these included the Narkomfin Apartment House in Moscow, but were rare projects
health and living conditions was poor in the SU. but there were initiatives to improve this
Krushchev, Brezhnev & stable societ
welfare under Keushchev
Krushchev's reforms
K doubled welfare spending in nine years and quadrupled pension spending from 1950-59
1961: introduction of free school, factory and office lunches, free public transport and free health care for farmers
Life expectancy went up
the death rate fell from 9.7/1000 people to 7.3/1000 from 1950-65
infant mortality (per 1000 live births) fell from 81 to 27 in the same period
Stalin's legacy
K wanted to improve upon his success in improving welfare amongst Soviet workers
housing under Krushchev
new housing initiatives
housing was a flagship policy of his
he found a new way to build social housing
the K-7 design - his new design
the housing blocks could be built very quickly . they used standardised prefabricated pieces rather than bricks
families had an apartment, with heating and running water
became known as the K-7 - the Krushchevyoka
K-7 blocks were built right unto the 1980s
was committed to improving housing problems
Brezhnev's new social contract
B's view of welfare
he saw welfare as part of a contract, entered int by citizens and the state
this social contact required people to support the govt
in return, the state promised to work towards improving living standards
guarantees in the social contract
some free market forces, allowing some black market trading
free healthcare
B also introduced subsidies rent, and utilities, & some paid leave
prices controls on goods
guaranteed full employment
social issues
women were discriminated against under B, so female unemployment stood 10%. men prioritised for jobs within industry
life expectancy actually went down by four years to 64 for men. alcoholism was a principle cause
impact of social conrtract
was successful in providing stability
the cities experience their highest living standards under Soviet rule. most could enjoy a secure life
Krushchev's legacy
B abandoned this, but he did carry on investing in welfare
K had aimed to reach state of pure communism by 1980