4- Family Social Unit Govt Attitudes

Question 1

To what extent did government attitudes towards the family as a social unit change 1917-85? General line of argument

Answer 1

Large amount of chsnge, with each leader changing policies, either introducing new reforms of reversing the policies of the leader before. However, when comparing fam as a social unit 1917 to fam in 85, limited change as attitudes similar at both times- supporting the traditional family unit and wives inferior to husbands. Khrush largely a continuation of Brez. Most significant change between Lenin and Stalin. Surface level / wider sclae didnt change but deeper level did. Stalin and Brezhnev reversed progress

Question 2

P1/ Large amount of change, with each leader changing policies, either introducing new reforms of reversing the policies of the leader before. LENIN

Answer 2

Lenin’s government aimed to destroy the capitalist independent family in favour of a collective system. Governmental attitudes moved away from supporting the nuclear family and subordinating women. Completely reformed what was seen as acceptable in terms of marriage and the family unit. youth groups encouraged to attack the ‘capitalist tyranny of parents’ and Party sections set up to educate women members to become more assertive and independent. Wives encourage to refuse obedience to their husbands. Didn’t just attack views - The Bolshevik Family code made divorce easier. A marriage could be dissolved at the request of either husband or wife, without the need to give grounds. Abortions made legal. Traditional institution of marriage weakened further 1927 when a new marriage law gave equal status under the law to registered and unregistered marriages.
Legalisation of male homosexuality
Contraception. Postcard divorces

Question 3

P1/Large amount of change, with each leader changing policies, either introducing new reforms of reversing the policies of the leader before. STALIN

Answer 3

Under Stalin, Soviet family policy became much more conservative. He wanted to create stable families to serve the goal of economic development. Reversed Lenin’s progress The ‘Great Retreat’ of 1936- Divorce was made more expensive, increasing from 4 roubles to 50.

• Free marriages lost their legal status
• Male homosexuality was declared illegal-Abortion outlawed unless mother at risk
• Contraception banned. Further strengthening of the family took place July 1944:
• To raise status of family, government introduced awards for ‘mother-heroines’ who had ten or more children.
• Tax on single people introduced to encourage marriage

Pronatalist policies offering financial incentives for women to have children- women with 7 children received 2000 roubles a year for five years. 5000 roubles for mothers with 11 children.

Question 4

P1/ Large amount of change, with each leader changing policies, either introducing new reforms of reversing the policies of the leader before. KHRUSHCHEV

Answer 4

Legalised abortion 1955 and divorce
- Increased paid maternity leave
- Expanded creche, childcare facilities and communal laundries
- Encouraged women to take up the role of supporting the family, look after household
- Lessened the strain placed on the family by increasing provision of social benefits like housing, healthcare and childcare.
Returned to many attitudes held by the Bolsheviks under Lenin

Question 5

P1/ Large amount of change, with each leader changing policies, either introducing new reforms of reversing the policies of the leader before. BREZHNEV

Answer 5

Family code 1968 reinforced traditional views towards family as a social unit. Continued to promote the family. Growing awareness of social problems that weakened the family and subsequent attempts to address them. Reinforcement of traditional values, especially concerning divorce, with a new Family Code 1968. In the early 1980s, there were calls to use differentiated family allowances to encourage bigger families in the western republics and Party leadership discussed the use of ‘birth incentives’ for inclusion in the 1981 Party Programme. . In an effort to combat marriages made in haste, the Family Code of 1968 required couples to give 1 months’ notice before a wedding could take place. Restrictions were placed on divorce, making it illegal to divorce a woman who was pregnant or within the year of the birth of a child.