USSR Social Developments Employment and Housing

Question 1

Which reform of Lenin’s introduced principles designed to transform work?

Answer 1

1918 Declaration of rights of toiling and exploited people

Question 2

When was compulsory labour introduced?

Answer 2

1918

Question 3

What were rations during war communism based on?

Answer 3

Classes - working class get the biggest rations

Question 4

How many products were rationed?

Answer 4

36

Question 5

How many people were eligible for rationing?

Answer 5

22 million

Question 6

What were set up for workers to eat communally?

Answer 6

Dining halls

Question 7

How many people were unemployed in 1921 to 1924?

Answer 7

1921- 5.5% and 1924 - 18%

Question 8

In 1922 how many unemployed were women?

Answer 8

68%

Question 9

What did the 1922 labour laws entitle the worker to?

Answer 9

the right to agree pay and working conditions with employers

Question 10

Under the NEP how much more were workers paid than in 1913?

Answer 10

10%

Question 11

As War Communism ended how many advisors were sacked?

Answer 11

250,000

Question 12

What was criminalised by Stalin as harsh labour discipline?

Answer 12

lateness criminalised / strikes banned / damaging factories = criminalised

Question 13

What year were internal passports brought in?

Answer 13

1940s

Question 14

What benefits for worker’s conditions (living and working) did the 5 year plans bring?

Answer 14

Access to electricity / Factory/farm communal canteens for food / greater healthcare provision

Question 15

In the 1930s how many km of railway was built to improve transport links?

Answer 15

30,000

Question 16

In the Ukraine, party members were vaccinated against what disease?

Answer 16

Typhus

Question 17

How many cases of Malaria were there in 1932?

Answer 17

236,000

Question 18

What happened to the industrial workforce in 1945-50?

Answer 18

Increased from 8 million workers to 12.2 million workers

Question 19

In 1947, food shortages meant workers had to pay __ of their wage for a mean in the communal canteen

Answer 19

Half

Question 20

From 1940-1950 what happened to infant mortality?

Answer 20

It decreased by 50%

Question 21

In which years did doctors increase by 2/3rds?

Answer 21

1947-1952

Question 22

What couldn’t the government provide for workers?

Answer 22

amenities such as soap

Question 23

In 1946, due to sickness how many days did workers take off in the year?

Answer 23

10-13

Question 24

Why did more workers move to cities?

Answer 24

Due to industrialisation and the greater amount of jobs that were available as a result

Question 25

The redistribution of property in 1918 occurred due to...

Answer 25

Communism wanting to take away capitalism which could be seen through private property

Question 26

Under the NEP what percentage of urban housing was denationalised?

Answer 26

60-80%

Question 27

In 1921 what was reintroduced?

Answer 27

Rent

Question 28

What % of housebuilding after the civil war was done by private businesses?

Answer 28

89%

Question 29

What happened to the population in 1929-1940?

Answer 29

It trebled

Question 30

What were built as a result of the population increase?

Answer 30

Kommunalkas (Communal apartments)

Question 31

What were the problems with Kommunalkas?

Answer 31

Singular rooms were divided so that in some cases one light switch would end up controlling 7 rooms / no running water / no electricity / no sewage facilities / no kitchens

Question 32

in 1941-46, what fraction of housing was destroyed due to war?

Answer 32

1/3rd

Question 33

For the workers of Moscow's coalfields, how many workers were there in comparison to beds?

Answer 33

26,000 workers and only 15,000 beds

Question 34

from 1945-50 how many farming villages were built in the Ukraine?

Answer 34

4,500

Question 35

Under Khrushchev, what happened to investment for healthcare from 1950-59?

Answer 35

Investment rose from 21.4 billion roubles to 44 billion roubles

Question 36

What happened to death rates in 1950-65?

Answer 36

Decreased from 9.7% in 1950 to 7.3% in 1965

Question 37

What happened to the pensions budget in 1950-56?

Answer 37

It quadrupled (1 million to 4.4 million)

Question 38

What social reforms were brought in, in 1961?

Answer 38

Free lunches in schools, offices and factories / free public transport / free healthcare and pension rights for farmers

Question 39

In 1956-65 what happened to housing?

Answer 39

It doubled

Question 40

What happened to communal apartments under Khrushchev?

Answer 40

They were stopped and families were allowed a whole apartment instead of a singular room

Question 41

Who brought in the 'social contract'?

Answer 41

Brezhnev

Question 42

What did the 'social contract' entail?

Answer 42

The production of a stable society through a deal with citizens that they would provide labour and cooperation

Question 43

What were the 5 main elements of the 'social contract'?

Answer 43

Job security / low prices for goods / thriving second economy / social benefits / social mobility

Question 44

Due to the social contract, what increased significantly?

Answer 44

Living standards

Question 45

Under Brezhnev, what necessities were virtually free of charge?

Answer 45

Water and electricity

Question 46

What was a negative consequence of the 'social contract'?

Answer 46

It caused stagnation

Question 47

What was the inefficiencies with employment?

Answer 47

Some people were working useless jobs but still got paid - 20% of workers

Question 48

in the 1960s, how many vacancies were there at least?

Answer 48

1 million

Question 49

What happened to female employment?

Answer 49

It decreased

Question 50

By 1985, what % of Russians were out of work?

Answer 50

2%

Question 51

In the 1970s, what happened to infant mortality rates?

Answer 51

Increased from 3-7%

Question 52

What happened to life expectancy?

Answer 52

It decreased from 68-64