Unemployment in the Soviet Union

1.

2.

1921-1928
• THE WORLD WAR, REVOLUTIONS, AND THE FIRST ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE NEW
GOVERNMENT PROVOKED A MASSIVE INFLUX OF RURAL RESIDENTS TO THE CITIES. THE INCREASE IN THE
URBAN POPULATION OCCURRED AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF A LACK OF JOBS DUE TO A LACK OF
GROWTH IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION. THEREFORE, THE SOVIET LEADERSHIP ALREADY IN 1921 FACED
THE PROBLEM OF THE EXISTENCE OF A MASSIVE AND GROWING RESERVE ARMY OF LABOR.

3.

• IN 1923, THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED WAS REPORTED TO HAVE REACHED ONE MILLION.
• THE PLENUM OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RUSSIAN COMMUNIST PARTY, HELD ON AUGUST 16,
1924, POINTED TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS FOR THE INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY:
THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE GROWTH RATES OF WAGES AND LABOR PRODUCTIVITY; THE INFLUX OF
VILLAGERS TO CITIES IN SEARCH OF WORK; INCREASING SOCIAL INSURANCE ARREARS; DELAYS IN
PAYING WAGES; LACK OF WORKING CAPITAL AND CREDIT RESOURCES FOR EXPANDED REPRODUCTION
AND RESTORATION OF BASIC CAPITAL; LOW PURCHASING POWER OF THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION

4.

• NEVERTHELESS, OBTAINING THE STATUS OF UNEMPLOYED IN LARGE CITIES WAS QUITE ATTRACTIVE,
BECAUSE IT ENTAILED THE AVAILABILITY OF A NUMBER OF BENEFITS: UTILITY BILLS, TRIPS IN PUBLIC
TRANSPORT, RENT, REDUCTION OF TAX DEDUCTIONS. THIS CONTRIBUTED TO THE INFLUX OF A
SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CITIZENS TO THE LABOR EXCHANGES WHO DID NOT EXPRESS A REAL DESIRE TO
GET A JOB.
• UNEMPLOYMENT CAUSED BY THE CRISIS OF HANDICRAFT PRODUCTION AND THE ILL-CONSIDERED
DISTRIBUTION OF LOW-SKILLED LABOR PRIMARILY HIT YOUNG PEOPLE.YOUNG PEOPLE, AS A RULE, WHO
HAD NO WORK EXPERIENCE, WERE NOT AN ATTRACTIVE TARGET FOR MANAGERS OF BOTH PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE ENTERPRISES.

5.

• DESPITE THE RULE ESTABLISHED UNDER PRESSURE FROM TRADE UNIONS ON THE QUOTA OF A CERTAIN
NUMBER OF JOBS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, THE LATTER ACCOUNTED FOR AN INSIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THE
TOTAL NUMBER ACCEPTED. IN ADDITION, THESE POORLY TRAINED WORKING YOUTH HAD TO WITHSTAND
THE COMPETITION OF VILLAGE WORKERS WHO AGREED TO LOWER WAGES AND WORSE WORKING
CONDITIONS.
• IN 1926, THE RESOLUTION OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE CPSU(B) "ON THE TRAINING AND
EDUCATION OF THE WORKFORCE" APPEARED, WHICH PROVIDED FOR A WHOLE RANGE OF MEASURES TO
IMPROVE THE SYSTEM OF TRAINING QUALIFIED PERSONNEL, INCLUDING SHORT-TERM COURSES,
BRIGADE AND INDIVIDUAL EXERCISES, RETRAINING OF THE UNEMPLOYED

6.

• ACCORDING TO THE NKT OF THE USSR, IN 1926, 1943 THOUSAND PEOPLE GOT JOBS, IN 1928 - 4841
THOUSAND, I.E. IN THREE YEARS THE NEEDS OF THE SOVIET ECONOMY IN LABOR INCREASED ALMOST 2.5 TIMES
• UP TO 1929, GENERALLY BALANCED APPROACHES PREVAILED IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CPSU(B) AND THE
SOVIET GOVERNMENT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT, WHICH CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS:
COMBATING THE OUTFLOW OF POPULATION FROM VILLAGES TO CITIES,
THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY,
ORGANIZATIONAL MEASURES TO WORK WITH THE UNEMPLOYED.

7.

1930• THE RESOLUTION OF THE JOINT PLENUM OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE
CPSU(B), HELD IN JANUARY 1933, NOTED: "THE STEADY RISE OF INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE IN THE USSR
DETERMINED TWO MAIN FACTS THAT RADICALLY IMPROVED THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF WORKERS:
• 1. THE ELIMINATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE ELIMINATION OF INSECURITY AMONG WORKERS.
• 2. THE COVERAGE OF COLLECTIVE FARM CONSTRUCTION OF ALMOST THE ENTIRE POOR, UNDERMINING ON THIS
BASIS THE STRATIFICATION OF THE PEASANTRY INTO THE HAVES AND HAVE-NOTS AND, IN THIS REGARD, THE
DESTRUCTION OF IMPOVERISHMENT AND PAUPERISM IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

8.

• THE HISTORICAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE
FIRST FIVE-YEAR PLAN WAS THE
COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF SUCH A
CAPITALIST PAST AS MASS
UNEMPLOYMENT.

9.

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