Working and living conditions of rural and urban people

• In 1864, Alexander II placed the Zemstva in charge of drawing up emergency measures to deal with famines. But, this didn't stop people starving
• Bolsheviks (Lenin) reduced average working hours from 11 to 8
• 1882: Factory inspectorate set up; employment of children under 12 was banned (but child labour continued as employers knoew they were unlikely to be found out)
• Alexander III tried to counter criticisms by banning exports of grain and setting up a special committee on Famine Relief
• Throughout the period, there were consistently poor working conditions - not much effort to make improvement
• Conditions in St Petersburg improved from 1911 with installation of the sewage system
• Collectivisation relaxed during World War 2, so food production rose
• Lenin blamed for 1921 famine (similarly to Alexander III and Stalin). Reluctantly accepted aid from American Relief.
• During World War 2, 25 million were made homeless
• 1932-34: Stalin became repressive. Death penalty imposed for stealing grain and discussion of the grain requisition