Russia 1855-1964 - rural living and working conditions

Between 1855-1964, the everyday life of the peasant in Russia satayed the same, but there were some variations, depending on region, or 'class'. For example, the emergence of a more proseperous peasant class under the Stolypin reforms - the kulaks - and then quite the opposite under dekulakisation with Stalin.

Rural housing

One regular occurence over all changes to peasant housing was the cheap constrcution. However for most of the period, peasants lived in one bedroom wooden huts, which were normally damp and unclean. There were some changes under Stalin who introduced 'special' housing blocks for collective farms. Further changes were made under Khrushchev

Working conditions

In some ways it is fair to say that working conditions for peasnats worsened under the communists, as peasants were generally seen as less important than the proletariart. In many ways, rural workers were only viewed as part of the food chain for the urban dwellers. The following developments made…