Stakhanovites, Working and Living Conditions etc Flashcards
Why was the term Stakhanovite coined? How much coal did the original Stakhanov mine in just 6 hours?
Aleksei Stakhanov mined 102 tonnes of coal in 6 hours. 14x more than what was expected. Lad.
What was a Stakhanovite seen as?
A Soviet Hero. Someone who epitomised the meaning of Communism.
What did Stakhanovites receive that average workers didn’t? Why?
Superior Accommodation and other Material Benefits.
What was the Stakhanovite movement? What was its goal?
A propaganda campaign which aimed to increase productivity by encouraging teamwork and selfless sacrifice for the Soviet State.
Why was it difficult to be a manager during the five-year plans?
Managers had the difficult job of ensuring that quotas were met whilst having no control over prices, resources and wages.
What was the highest bonus the manager could get for surpassing output targets?
They could get a 40% bonus on top of their income.
What would happen to manager who failed to meet targets?
They could be put on trial, imprisoned, or executed.
What was ‘wrecking’?
Acts of economic or industrial sabotage, Such as failing to meet targets, lowering morale in the workplace, or lack of effort/incompetence.
What to wear ‘work norms’?
How much your work was expected to do and how to deal with things like absenteeism.
By how much were ‘work norms’ increased in 1936?
50% at the most.
Why could Stakhanovites be a problem?
Because if they worked too hard then the factory output targets would be raised.
Why were improved conditions in collective farms and issue for industrial production?
Fewer people migrated to the cities and instead stayed to work in the country.
Why did military demands prove to be a problem during the five-year plans?
Supplies such as coal oil and wood were in short supply when they were in demand the most.
How many days was the working week in the USSR during the five-year plans?
Seven day working weeks.
If you arrived late to work or missed work what could be your punishment?
Dismissal, eviction, and loss of benefits.
In 1931 wage differentials were introduced, what were these?
These meant that those who worked harder and stayed for longer in their job earned more money. They were rewarded for their efforts.
Which jobs/professions did Stalin’s purges affect the most?
White collar jobs such as a doctor or a lawyer.
What were 3 awful issues with living conditions?
Cramped communal apartments, poor sanitation and unreliable water supply.
The Belomor Canal was constructed between 1931 and 1933, how many workers on average died a day?
700
Which percentage of the workforce did females make up in 1929?
29%
Did women receive the same wage as men?
Obviously not.
Which percentage of the industrial workforce did females make up by 1935?
42%
Why did more women get jobs in the 1930s? Which jobs did they typically get?
Prices for goods rose so they needed the money to support their families. They typically got jobs in healthcare, education and administration.
Was there an institution for fighting inequality in the workplace for women? What sort of inequality did women face?
There was one called Zhenotdel until 1930 when it was abolished. Lower wage, less likely to be employed, less likely to be promoted, physical assault, sexual assault etc.
