Work, Welfare & Housing - Khrushchev & Brezhnev

Question 1

work - just khrushchev

Answer 1

• annual increase in per capita consumption of 3.8%
• 1956 = min wage introduced to ensure no workers below the poverty line - hardships remained for families on min wage
• 1957 = working week reduced & paid holiday increased

Question 2

work - just brezhnev

Answer 2

• soviet constitution 1977 = full employment guaranteed
• 1967-77 = real wages rose by 50%
• 1970 = wage differentials less than 1/2 of USA - enough to offer workers material gain through hard work but not to cause anger
• trend of risk-takers & troublemakers being unable to rise within system - firmly established
• promoted within region rather than moving

Question 3

work under both

Answer 3

• hard to dismiss someone rubbish at their job
• managers often ignored low work discipline as workers were queueing for necessities & moonlighting to get extra money
• promotions were the source of higher wages & greater rewards
• taking part in unpaid propaganda campaigns & ideological study at party schools helped to get a posish in local party branches
• nepotism

Question 4

khrushchev’s housing programme

Answer 4

• annual amount of housing space provided by state = 178 mil sqm (1951) to 394 (1961)
• edges of many cities looked like building sites = endless housing blocks in mud nicknamed khrushchoby (k’s slums)
• design = prefabricated panels & standard design sped up building & made drab identical housing often not quite finished (targets)
• long waiting lists due to previous awful conditions

Question 5

state welfare spending

Answer 5

• 1950-80 = increased 5x
• pensions, maternity benefits & housing all got attention & relieved lots of poverty
• 1956 = pension scheme expanded & retirement age reduced

Question 6

pensions

Answer 6

• rose at higher rate than wages during B but still insufficient
• encouraged many retired people to work part-time - armies of elderly street sweepers
• peasants didn’t get pension until B

Question 7

healthcare

Answer 7

• big growth
• polyclinics = all purpose health care with referral to specialists when necessary
• many worked used these as they were entitled to time off work to see doctors
• sanatorias = rest home with medical facilities
• still VERY primitive in rural areas

Question 8

when could you take time off to go to a healthcare establishment?

Answer 8

• high blood pressure
• heart problems
• stomach complaints