Housing USSR
- Created by: Safi
- Created on: 26-04-17 19:18
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- Housing
- 1917, Mansions and houses confiscated from the rich and split between poor families
- Social Theme
- Employment
- 1918, During War Communism employment was compulsory and labour exchanges were set up
- After the Civil War there was a huge increase in unemployment, shock brigades were used to encourage workers
- The disparity between unskilled and skilled workers wages grew
- In 1930 the Soviet government announced they had achieved full employment, by 1937 there were 27 million workers
- Unemployment benefit cancelled and Trade unions left as only providers of social insurance
- 1932, passport system introduced, this restricted people from moving jobs even if they were unhappy in them
- 1931 wage differences between skilled and non skilled workers increased to discourage skilled workers from moving jobs
- 1934 workers were paid by how much they produced
- Higher wages only small incentive when there was a lack of consumer goods
- 1931 wage differences between skilled and non skilled workers increased to discourage skilled workers from moving jobs
- Higher wages only small incentive when there was a lack of consumer goods
- Material incentives and medals for good workers and slackers were ridiculed
- Harsh punishments for absenteeism, 1939 made a criminal offence that could get you sent to the gulag
- However due to increase in targets there were always labour shortages
- 1977 Constitution promised Full employment
- However there was little job satisfaction as many jobs were created just for the sake and were pointless and repetitive
- During the Brezhnev years wages increased but there was still nothing to buy in the shops so people just saved.
- However over the period this improved as Brezhnev put more of a focus on consumer goods
- During the Khrushchev and Brezhnev years wage differentials were low so people felt that if they worked they had a chance upward mobility
- It was very hard to get fired from your job and there was little work discipline
- Minimum wage introduced in 1956, the working week was reduced and paid holiday increased in 1957
- 1966 regular wages for peasants introduced and by the mid 70s they only earned 10% less than there urban counterparts
- Welfare and Benefits
- By the 30s some canteens provided for workers
- Trade unions were mostly responsible for providing social benefits
- Workers were given 2 week paid vacation and sick pay was organised through the union
- Healthcare
- Effective at containing epidemics, there was enforced vaccinations against typhus and a campaign against lice, 1917
- 1917, lots of doctors fled due to the revolution so the government had to increase the amount of trainee places
- in 1928 70,000 doctors and 1940 155,000
- Sanitation was taken seriously and although medicine had to be paid for it was cheap
- Virtually non existent in rural areas
- Healthcare under Khrushchev and Brezhnev was available but not of quality
- Polyclinics provided all purpose healthcare, workers were encouraged to visit them
- Cities had the best access and in rural areas it was very primitive
- Polyclinics provided all purpose healthcare, workers were encouraged to visit them
- From 1950-80 state welfare spending increased fivefold,
- Pensions, maternity and housing all received more funding
- Pension system implemented in 1956
- Pensions increased under Brezhnev but still remained insufficientand many old people had to take up part time jobs
- Untitled
- Employment
- Huge increase in populations in urban areas due to the 5 Y Plans put a huge strain on housing
- Population of Moscow 2.2 mill in 1929, 4.1 million by 1936
- Adequate rural housing was slow to materialise and peasants in collectives were expected to provide their own housing
- During WW2 90% of Stalingrad's housing was destroyed an it remained a low priority
- Lenin was more focused on redistributing existing houses than building new ones, party officals were put ahead of people in need
- Khrushchev implemented extensive housing programme
- annual amount of housing space rose from 178 million sq m in 1951 to 394 million in 1961
- He brought in K7 housing blocks, nicknamed Khrushchoby
- They were cheap and easy to make, however they were often poorly finished and although they were meant to be temporary, became the norm
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