Transformation of the status of women under soviet leaders

• Intro

  - it is moderately accurate to say that the status of women transformed under soviet rule in the years 1917-1985.

  - For the status of women to transform suggests that their role and how they were viewed in society had completely changed from 1917- 85

  - During this period however the soviet gov consisted of different leaders to rule the soviet union: 1917-28, Lenin, Stalin 1928-53 Khrushchev- 1953-64 and Brezhnev 1964-85.

  - therefore each leader inevitably implored different ways in which women should be portrayed and act in sov society during their leadership, from the "natural need to nurture" view from Lenin to the women dominating professions under Brezhnev.

  
  

  - However, whilst the changing status of women allowed them to break conventions of strong indifferences and submission to men (by women being able to work in the same industry as them) women were still percieved as polar opposites to men highlighted through unequal pay, and low status jobs.

  - Nonetheless, the status of women still transformed as they were no longer suppressed to relying on men and looking after children and the home (under Lenin's rule) but were able to work in the same industry as them (by Brezhnevs rule)

  - Brezhnevs rule was most significant in showing the extent at which the status of women transformed.
• Lenin - Stalin

  1917-53:

  - civil war - zhenotdel (what was it) created (alexander kollontai) and introduced creches for women 'natural nurturing role'

  - NEP - creches were closed - scarce employment = women had to give up jobs in industry and give it to the men = forced to become prostitutes.

  • During Lenin's leadership = women disregarded & innate differences between men and women

  
  

  - Stalins industry:

  - 75% if women made up the urban labour force during ww2 (10 million had joined by 1940)

  = slight easing of strict differences between women can suggest slight transformation of status of women

  -HOWEVER

  - women paid 60-65% of mens wages

  - verbal n physical abuse

  - no promotions

  
  

  
  

  = barely transformed during that time
• 1953-85

  -Under Khrushchev's rule during the 1960's , 45% of industrial jobs went to women however restricted to ;

  - prod line work in light industry (low level skill required)

  -heavy manual labour which was low skilled

  = suggests that women were not suitable for hardcore jobs (similar to Stalin)

  - women in work increased BUT status still remained

  = no big transformation because women were still viewed lower than men and maintained the status from Lenin's rule

  
  

  1970s women made up:

  - 70% of medical doctors

  - 75% of employees in uni's

  - 65% of ppl employed in art and culture

  HOWEVER

  - pay scales in these feminised industries were lower than male dominated factory management

  
  

  = same nurturing status of women
• Women in the countryside:

  (Lenin &Stalin)

  - 1920s, 30s, 40s - high proportion of women worked in agriculture

  - worked triple shift; agri labour on farms, household chores, look after the families

  (Khrushchev)

  - virgin land schemes - women recruited

  - milkmaids, gardeners & start families

  = similar principles = same status of women = no transformation

  - women continued to work in low status n paid jobs through 1970s n 80s

  - 1970 - 72% of lowest paid soviet farmers were women

  
  

  - 1980 - 80% of teachers in rural schools were women, whereas 2% of of farm managers were women

  = professions reflect the prejudice that women played a nurturing role rather than a leadership role