Russia 4 Essay Plans

How successful were Communist education policies in the years 1918-53?

Primarily successful

Literacy

Initially unsuccessful - during civil war and NEP literacy only really improved for industrial workers and Red Army soldiers

However the massive improvement under Stalin compensates for this

1928 literacy - 55%; 1939 - 94%

Illiteracy eradicated by 1953

Shows the success of the policy of offering adult education e.g. during First Five-Year Plan 90% of adults attended an education class

Counterargument - inequalities remained e.g. 90% female vs 97% male in 1939

Dismiss - not a massive inequality, actually a smaller gap than in 1926 (65% vs 37%)

Primary education

Not successful under Lenin - during the NEP the number of schools and pupils halved, fees were introduced - not accessible

More success under Stalin

Fees abolished in 1927

Proportion of 8-12 year olds in education increased 60% in 1928 to 95% in 1932

Even though this didn't meet the 100% target, it was a significant improvement in a short time span

Overall - moderately successful - more progress could have been made if primary education didn't decline under Lenin

Secondary education

Not successful under Lenin - during NEP 97% of secondary school pupils paid fees and only 3% of working class pupils finished secondary school

Shows that secondary education was not accessible under Lenin

Under Stalin - fees remained - not entirely accessible, children of Party members favoured for bursaries

The number of children in secondary education did increase: 216,000 at the end of the NEP to a million in 1939... however this was a low proportion in 1953 only 20% of 17 year olds were in secondary education

Not accessible

Was successful in that Stalin was able to reform it e.g. 1933 new textbooks; 1934 Decree on the Teaching of Civic History

Overall - somewhat successful - reforms were made, but throughout the period it was not accessible

If enough time - mention higher education, 8x more universities 1913-39 decimated by WWII but quickly recovered

Overall - moderately successful - did achieve the key aim of eradicating illiteracy, but secondary education especially was lacking

How successful were Communist education policies in the years 1953-85?

Accessibility/number in education

Khrushchev removed fees for secondary and higher education in 1956

Proportion of 17 year olds completing secondary school increased from 20% in 1953 to 75% in 1959

BUT this declined under Brezhnev - secondary school was no longer compulsory, in 1976 only 60% of pupils finished secondary school

Far short of 100% by 1970 target

Measures to aid poorer pupils

1959 - Khrushchev introduced special bursaries

In the 1970s, Brezhnev provided free meals for poorer children and textbooks were made available free of charge

Quality and provision of teachers

Number of teachers increased: 1.5 million in 1953; 2.2 million in 1964

Under Khrushchev, proportion of teachers with a uni education doubled

1978 - 70% of teachers had a uni education

Expansion of higher education - number of academic staff quadrupled between 1958 and 1980

Success of the curriculum

1958 expansion of the university curriculum to include specialisms in light industry

Khrushchev introduced polytechnic curriculum (1956) - 28% of time practical training

wasn't implemented in 46% of schools

unpopular with parents

Stagnation under Brezhnev - same subjects and curriculum as under Stalin

1970 - textbooks updated with latest scientific knowledge

How accurate is it to say that the most significant Soviet social development in the years 1917-85 was the provision of education?

Very accurate - due to limitations in the success of improving women's status and the provision of social security

Education

Successfully eradicated illiteracy

Free education at all levels by 1956

Improving quality of education

Counter: secondary school attendance declined under Brezhnev

But even considering this, there was an overall transformation, and it does not undermine the significance of eradicating illiteracy

Improved status of women

Women at work

Zhenotdel - but it was closed in 1930

However - there was a glass ceiling and the government was not willing to address this

1953-85 - women never made up more than 4% of the Central Committee

Brezhnev's government claimed this was because women wanted to have children/raise families

Sexism demonstrated in propaganda - working women were 'neglecting' their children and were blamed for juvenile delinquency

Yes women's status did improve (workforce, doing smaller proportion of housework) - but this was at a rate similar to the West, nothing special

Social security

BUT provision of social security cannot be considered most significant due to the decline under Brezhnev

Male life expectancy fell in 1970s from 68 to 64

Didn't address alcoholism