How valid is the view that women achieved equality in the Stalinist state?

Question 1

Family and Women

Answer 1

Assessing the success this brought to this ‘new society’ should be assessed alongside its impact on the family, impact of divorce on women, abortion.
 1917 - New divorce laws granted for either party, but in reality this resulted in many women being abandoned. 70% of divorces were initiated by men in 1927 and only 7% by mutual consent.
 This had huge impact on women being left to care for family.
 1919 - USSR had highest marriage rate, but highest divorce rate by
1920s.
 1920 - Abortion allowed.
 Views of Lenin viewing traditional marriage as bourgeois and
exploitation, thus canteens, crèches, laundries were supposed to be provided to socialise domestic services and free women, however this soon was at odds with the realities of soviet life, as the government was unwilling and unable to fund enough of these.

Question 2

Women and Employment

Answer 2

During WW1, the percentage of women in urban workforce doubled and by 1917 it was at 47%.
 After civil war, many women lost jobs to returning men.
 Women still paid less than men.
 Employers reluctant to hire women due to time they may take off
work for home responsibilities.
 With rising unemployment during NEP, women were forced into
unskilled work and many ended up in criminal activity.
 By 1929, female workforce had fallen to 1913 levels.
 Women often worked an 8 hour day at work and then 5 hours of
domestic tasks.
 Traditional family roles prevailed where men did nothing to help with
domestic tasks.

Question 3

Women and politics

Answer 3

Women’s participation in Communist party did not increase greatly - 1917 - women were 10% party membership, but this had only increased to 12.8% by 1928.
 Young, unmarried women were more likely to be activists and female membership of the Komsomol was much higher than party membership.
 In 1919, party set up a women’s department, Zhenotdel, however in practice is focused on practical help for women in education and social services rather than making them defenders of the revolution and it was abolished in 1930 on the grounds it was no longer necessary.
 Alexandra Kollontai’s more radical ideas about transforming women’s role in society were not implemented.
 Women still victim of traditional Russian male chauvinism.
 There was a dislike within the party of anything that could be
interpreted as separatist activity form the unity of class struggle.
 The interpretations of the extent of ‘Stalinism’ and the imposition of
codes, rather than the acceptance and participation by the ordinary people, might be considered. The conflict of ideas and the shadow culture may be discussed.
 The political changes and the imposition of policy from the centre may be debated alongside the evidence of acceptance at local level.

Question 4

Beryl Williams

Answer 4

“It was a macho world for all the talk of equality…Men built socialism…the high-status proletarian was male, a metal worker or blacksmith.”

Question 5

Moshe Lewin

Answer 5

talks of a “quicksand society” created by the upheavals of collectivisation and industrialisation which caused social instability.

Question 6

Sheila Fitzpatrick

Answer 6

“The old-style liberated woman, assertively independent and ideologically committed on issues like abortion, was no longer in favour: The new message was that family came first.”