Proleterianisation

• From 1917-21, proleterianisation was an important step in the creation of the 'socialist man'. This was the process of turning the mass of the population into urban workers.
• After a brief spell of ‘workers' power', labour discipline was tightened and freedom was never returned. Internal passports used in the civil war.
• By 1921, workers could be imprisoned or shot if they failed to meet their targets. Unions were used to keep workers under control.
• During the NEP (1921-1931) the harsh living and working conditions continued. Peasants were herded into collectives and the urban population doubled by 1932.
• Drive for industrialisation brought a seven-day working week and longer working hours. Arriving late or being absent could result in dismissal, eviction from housing and loss of benefits. Damaging machinery or leaving a job without permission was a criminal offence and strikes were illegal.
• From 1931 there was an introductionof wage differentials, bonuses and payment by the piece and opportunities for better housing to incentivise hard work. Disciplinary rules were eased.
• Huge propaganda campaigns increased competition and produced a ‘proletariat elite’. This led to more peasants moving to towns.
• The Stakhanovite movement began after a miner in August 1935 was shown to be 14 times more productive than the usual worker.
• Children benefitted from increased educational opportunities.
• Stalin’s purges created plenty of vacancies ‘at the top’ and competition increased.
• Rural conditions remained primitive whereas urban conditions were cramped and communal with inadequate sanitation and water supplies.
• Public transport was over-crowded, shops were empty and queues and shortages were accepted as a feature of life.
• Although real wages increased during the 2nd FYP, they were still lower in 1937 than they had been in 1928 which were less better than in 1913. Rationing was phased out in 1935 but market prices were high.
• For ordinary workers living standards stagnated.