Stalin's Russia, "The Great Retreat"

• Zhenotdel, a women's branch in the CCC (Communist Central Committee) closed down due to the belief of sexual equality in society
• THIS WAS NOT THE CASE
• The Communist party had re-asserted traditional gender roles

• Demands of the FYP meant a huge demand in the workforce
• 1928 only 3 million women were employed
• Increased to over 13 million by 1940
• 1940, 41% of workers in heavy industry were women
  • e.g. half of the workers in Leningrad were women
• More places in education were available for women
  • Before 20% in 1929
  • By 1940 it was 40%
• Women were still paid only 60-65% wages when compared with men
• Had major importance in agriculture where 80% of the workers were women

• Results of Industrialization and Collectivisation led to major decline in Birth in the early 1930s
• The Government introduced new policies to reverse this
  • Mothers with 6 of more children would receive state help
  • Mothers with 7 of more children would be paid 2,000 roubles a year for 5
  • 5,000 roubles for women with 11 children
    • Results came inanimately with 4,000 applicants
• 1936, Soviet Authorities dis-guarded abortion, was made illegal with the exception of a matter of life or death
• Doctors who performed abortions had to serve prison time, as well as husbands who pressured wives

• Alongside working women were expected to run the household
• Although men were relieved of their duties of because of work, women didn't receive this luxury
• Wives of party members officials were expected to run an efficient household, common to hire nannies to focus on their work, although it was later frowned upon
• Wives of officials were expected to be involved in movements, these movements organised activities for ill children and setting up schools and libraries

• Family and Marriages were before seen as a Bourgeois Institute, resulted in a free love society which would take on the traditional family by storm
• Resulted in the great retreat where traditional family roles were re-asserted

• Family seen as "Primary Cell of Society"
• Valued by the Government
• Oct 1935, publicity campaign on Stalin showing him as a family man, highly publicized visit to Tbilisi to visit his mother
• AIM OF SOVIET PROPAGANDA WAS TO HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY AND TO CONDEMN MEN FOR BREAKING UP THE FAMILY

• 1936, Weddings were re-introduced
  • Marriage Certificates printed on high quality paper
• Members of the party who were married received a number of gifts (e.g. holiday homes)
• Communist husbands were expected to be committed to families and were excused from meeting/tasks
• BY 1937 90% OF MEN WERE MARRIED AND 82% OF WOMEN

• 1934, publicity campaign launched to introduce sexual abstinence for the young
• In collective farms regular virginity checks were conducted
• Acts such as homosexuality and adultery were re-criminalised
• Under the FYP contraception was no longer made and later dissolved

• As a result of relaxed laws of free love, divorce rates had shot through the roof and led to an increase on family break ups
• New Divorce Laws were introduced
  • Divorce Procedures more complex
  • Divorce Procedures more expensive
  • Men made to pay child support
  • in some cases party members to track the debt beat father

Raising Good Citizens

• children expected to obey their parents, elders & teachers
• parents expected to teach children respect of the soviet government and to enthusiastically embrace their duties

• History was valued greatly in education, the teaching of the revolution and such great figures as Ivan the terrible and peter the great important in students knowledge
• literature was also valued greatly, homework was set regular and national exams were introduced
• New emphasis on strict discipline