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Flashcards in Lenin - Social Policies Deck (40)
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1
Q

EDUCATION - how many urban Russians could read in 1914?

A

14% - far fewer in rural Russia

2
Q

EDUCATION - what was Lenin’s view on education?

A

He believed that communism required an educated workforce with technical skills and the ability to read

3
Q

EDUCATION - what were Lunacharsky’s views on education.

A

He thought education was designed to allow the individual to flourish and be literate

4
Q

EDUCATION - who was in charge of education?

A

Lunacharsky and Krupskya (Lenin’s wife)

5
Q

EDUCATION - what did the 1918 decree on education involve?

A

Unified Labour Schools:

  • free education for 8-17 year olds
  • no religious education
  • ending gender segregation
  • abolished corporal punishment, homework and exams
  • free breakfast and medical checks
  • education became compulsory
6
Q

EDUCATION - what was school like?

A

4 hours spent in school and 4 hours spent in factories
Learning through play and other new teaching methods were encouraged but in reality socialists took over tsarist schools and continued to use old fashioned methods and teach the old curriculum.

7
Q

EDUCATION - when was free education actually introduced?

A

In the 1950’s

8
Q

EDUCATION - what effect did the civil war have on education?

A

People were preoccupied with war. Lunacharsky introduced liquidation points (6 month course in literacy) but teachers were often not behind the regime and the government focused more on military investment than education

9
Q

EDUCATION - what happened in the first 18 months of the NEP?

A

The number of children in education halved

10
Q

EDUCATION - when were primary school fees technically abolished?

A

In 1927, more children began to go to school as the NEP stabilised the economy

11
Q

EDUCATION - how many students still paid fees for education?

A

97% as schools were run locally not centrally.

12
Q

EDUCATION - what percentage of working and middle class children finished secondary education?

A

25% of Middle class and 3% of working class. Schools were still dominated by the wealthy

13
Q

EDUCATION - what was the 1919 decree on literacy?

A

All illiterates between the ages of 8 and 50 had to learn to read

14
Q

EDUCATION - what happened to literacy rates in the Red Army by 1925?

A

Trotsky introduced education for all soldiers so by 1925 100% of the red army was literate

15
Q

EDUCATION - how successful was the literacy campaign under Lenin?

A

More successful in urban areas than rural areas. Overall literacy rates go up to 55% by 1928

16
Q

HOUSING - what happened to houses in 1918?

A

Soviets took properties off the rich and moved working class families in

17
Q

HOUSING - what were houses used for during the civil war?

A

They were often destroyed and used as fuel

18
Q

HOUSING - what were communal apartments?

A

Collective houses where many families of different classes lived together with a room each. They could be incredibly cramped, with 60 people in one house and 12.5 square meters per family of 10. They shared a bathroom and kitchen.

19
Q

HOUSING - what were some downsides to the communal apartments?

A
  • there was absolutely no privacy, for the family or the individual
  • everyone shared one bathroom
  • arguments were often over petty things and rampant informing led to many vendettas and pointless arrests.
20
Q

HOUSING - what were the upsides to communal apartments?

A
  • each floor had a nanny, cleaner and housekeeper that was collectively paid for
  • fairness and equality were ruling principles
  • children especially enjoyed the freedom and abundance of playmates. Even later developing a fear of being alone.
21
Q

HOUSING - who were Elders?

A

The supposedly elected leader of the house, they had control of the yardmen. Introduced in 1929 and officially made the representative of the house in 1933.

22
Q

WOMEN - how did reforms change divorce?

A
  • made it easier for both parties. Although 70% of divorces were initiated by men.
  • divorce rates sky rocketed so in 1926 postcard divorce was made legal, divorce by letter.
23
Q

WOMEN - how much maternity leave were women given?

A

16 weeks. 8 before birth and 8 after.

24
Q

WOMEN - what was childcare like?

A

It was introduced early on and was supposed to make it easier for women to work. However under the NEP childcare was not state funded so women were often forced to leave their jobs. Employers tended just to sack pregnant women rather than grant maternity leave

25
Q

WOMEN - when we’re women given equal rights to work?

A

1919 although employers still tended to prefer hiring men as they didn’t have to pay maternity leave

26
Q

WOMEN - what happened to the number of women in work after 1918?

A

It fell due to the promoted image of a soviet worker being male and prejudice in the workplace

27
Q

WOMEN - which sectors gave women jobs during he civil war?

A

The health industry and food distribution

28
Q

WOMEN - how many delegates at congress were female in 1918?

A

Just 5%

29
Q

What was the Zhenotdel?

A

Set up as a women’s sector of government designed to educate women of their new rights and encourage them to take an active role in the party. It was led by Kollontai, who was later sacked for preaching anti revolution hate. Although she was a feminist who promoted communal living and free love.

30
Q

WOMEN - what were the percentages of women in the party in 1918 and 1928?

A

1918 - 10%
1928 - 12%
Not a significant increase

31
Q

WOMEN - what was the communist position on abortion?

A

Greater freedom of sexuality was permitted and abortion by a physician was made legal.
At one point abortions outnumbered births and this worried many members of the government, especially the more conservative ones.

32
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - what were Lenin’s views on work?

A

He believed it was key to gaining economic recourses and should be rewarding to the individual.

33
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - what had unemployment risen to by October 1918?

A

100,000 due to the chaos of revolution and post World War One

34
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - what was introduced under war communism?

A

1918 - compulsory labour introduced and rationing decided by profession.

35
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - how much of Moscow did the government claim it was feeding?

A

93% due to communal dining rooms for workers.

36
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - in reality what levels did food production reach during war communism?

A

It never got above 50% of food needed to feed the cities.

37
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - what levels had unemployment reached under the NEP by 1924?

A

18% a definitive rise

38
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - what percentage of the unemployed were women in 1922?

A

62.2%

39
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - what did the 1922 labour law introduce?

A
  • unions have the right to negotiate with employers

- social security including unemployment benefits set up

40
Q

SOCIAL SECURITY - by 1926 who’s better or worse off?

A

Urban workers are better off and paid 10% more than 1913 levels.
Rural workers and peasants are worse off