The Great Retreat: Women

Question 1

How did the number of women working in industry change?

Answer 1

• 1928-41: 3m-13m

- 41% workers in heavy industry women

Question 2

How did the number of women in education change?

Answer 2

• number of women in education doubled between 28-41

Question 3

How did the number of women working in agriculture change?

Answer 3

• 1945 - 80% of collective farm workers were women

Question 4

How large was the gender pay gap?

Answer 4

women earned on average 40% less than men

Question 5

What was womens position at home like?

Answer 5

• expected to run home
• women spent 5 times longer on domestic chores than men
• Communist Party emphasised fact that they expected women to resign from their jobs once they got married

Question 6

How did attitudes to sex and babies change during the 30’s?

Answer 6

• traditional attitudes to sex reasserted - 1939 homosexuality & adultery criminalised
• contraception & abortion banned
• state encouraged large families e.g. mothers with 7 children received 2000 roubles/ year

Question 7

How did measures concerning marriage change?

Answer 7

• 30’s Stalin emphasised importance of marriage
• rings banned in 28 reintroduced in 1936
• men who had affairs named and shamed in Soviet media
• divorce more expensive

Question 8

What were the results of change in measures concerning marriage?

Answer 8

marriage became norm - 91% men, 82% women in 30’s married