Lenin - Social Policies Flashcards
EDUCATION - how many urban Russians could read in 1914?
14% - far fewer in rural Russia
EDUCATION - what was Lenin’s view on education?
He believed that communism required an educated workforce with technical skills and the ability to read
EDUCATION - what were Lunacharsky’s views on education.
He thought education was designed to allow the individual to flourish and be literate
EDUCATION - who was in charge of education?
Lunacharsky and Krupskya (Lenin’s wife)
EDUCATION - what did the 1918 decree on education involve?
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
EDUCATION - what was school like?
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.
EDUCATION - when was free education actually introduced?
In the 1950’s
EDUCATION - what effect did the civil war have on education?
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
EDUCATION - what happened in the first 18 months of the NEP?
The number of children in education halved
EDUCATION - when were primary school fees technically abolished?
In 1927, more children began to go to school as the NEP stabilised the economy
EDUCATION - how many students still paid fees for education?
97% as schools were run locally not centrally.
EDUCATION - what percentage of working and middle class children finished secondary education?
25% of Middle class and 3% of working class. Schools were still dominated by the wealthy
EDUCATION - what was the 1919 decree on literacy?
All illiterates between the ages of 8 and 50 had to learn to read
EDUCATION - what happened to literacy rates in the Red Army by 1925?
Trotsky introduced education for all soldiers so by 1925 100% of the red army was literate
EDUCATION - how successful was the literacy campaign under Lenin?
More successful in urban areas than rural areas. Overall literacy rates go up to 55% by 1928
HOUSING - what happened to houses in 1918?
Soviets took properties off the rich and moved working class families in
HOUSING - what were houses used for during the civil war?
They were often destroyed and used as fuel
HOUSING - what were communal apartments?
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.
HOUSING - what were some downsides to the communal apartments?
- 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.
HOUSING - what were the upsides to communal apartments?
- 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.
HOUSING - who were Elders?
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.
WOMEN - how did reforms change divorce?
- 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.
WOMEN - how much maternity leave were women given?
16 weeks. 8 before birth and 8 after.
WOMEN - what was childcare like?
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
