Family Matters, or How the Personal Life of Citizens Was Regulated in the USSR

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The birth of the Soviet state was associated with the real sexual revolution, when family values were treated more than liberally. But already in the 1930s, everything changed: new marriage legislation was created, the family was recognized as a unit of society, and the state reserved the right to regulate the personal life of citizens.

Taboo on interethnic marriages

At the beginning of 1947, the USSR imposed a taboo on the conclusion of marriages between foreign and Soviet citizens. The reason for this, most likely, was the demographic situation of those times, which remained problematic after the Second World War, the consequences of which were expressed in destroyed families, a small number of men, as well as in marriages with citizens of hostile countries that had already taken place. The government quickly resolved the last "problem" by simply recognizing the previously concluded interethnic alliances as illegitimate. Those who dared to violate the decree from above fell under Article 58 - "Anti-Soviet agitation".

The official ban was lifted only after Stalin's death, but in practice the state remained adamant in its protest against such unions of citizens. Dislike for international unions manifested itself in actions. For example, this kind of "betrayal" could be the reason for expulsion from the Komsomol and the party, dismissal from work, expulsion from the university.

The situation remained unchanged during the "stagnation" period. Those who wanted to sign with a foreigner were forced to go through the KGB. Despite the fact that at the level of the law there was no ban on interethnic marriages, people were actively loaded with the collection of numerous documents and continued to try to "fix their brains" at public meetings. This situation was observed right up to the collapse of the USSR.

No abortions

It is known that during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, the death penalty was provided for in Russia. With the arrival of Peter the Great, the punishment was significantly mitigated - abortion was punishable by exile to Siberia and hard labor for a period of 10 years for a doctor, and imprisonment from 4 to 6 years for a woman.

The RSFSR was the first where artificial termination of pregnancy was legalized at the official level. It happened on November 16, 1920. Even the more progressive Europe and the United States gave the go-ahead for abortion only in 1967 and 1970, respectively. From that moment on, in the Soviet Republic, it was possible to terminate a pregnancy absolutely free of charge and in any hospitals. Moreover, for women workers in factories and factories, for example, there were special priority privileges. No good reason for the abortion was required, only one desire of the failed mother was enough.

Under Soviet rule, the liberality towards abortion continued exactly until the moment when fertility rates began to seriously fall since 1925. Quickly realizing the rashness of the previous decision, the People's Commissariat in 1926 amended the legislation. Now, for primiparous women and those who had an abortion in the past 6 months, artificial termination of pregnancy was prohibited. By 1930, the abortion service became paid, and after another 6 years, criminal liability was provided for such acts, if they were not dictated by medical indications.

The results of the measures taken have hardly met the expectations of the legislators. Since the introduction of the bans, the number of clandestine abortions has increased, after which many women have completely lost the ability to bear children. According to the statistics of those times, illegal abortions were not always performed by doctors. Among the total number of those brought to justice, the latter turned out to be only 23%, the remaining percentage included people who had absolutely nothing to do with medicine.

In November 1955, the abortion taboo was again lifted.

No children - pay tax

“The charter of the RKSM included a provision according to which every member of the Komsomol was obliged to surrender without question to absolutely any member of the Komsomol at his first request, but on condition that he was engaged in social work and conscientiously paid membership dues. The sexual revolution of the Bolsheviks led to an increase in the percentage of suicide and sexual violence, and Soviet men increasingly preferred to marry non-Komsomol members."

In November 1941, a decree entered into force in the Soviet Union, according to which citizens without a stamp in their passports and children were obliged to pay tax. In 1944, amendments were issued to it, in which childless and free men in the age group of 20-50 years old and women of 20-45 years old acted as taxpayers. The tax level was set at 6% of wages. Were treated condescendingly to those whose income was below 70 rubles. Those who received less than 91 rubles a month paid tax at a reduced rate.

According to the Government, each rural family was obliged to have more than three children, so the tax was raised for such settlements in 1949. Under the new rules, families with one child paid the state 50 rubles, with two children - 25 rubles, and childless - 150 rubles. This state of affairs was observed until the 52nd year.

Those who could not have children for health reasons or lost a child were exempted from the tax. Among the latter were also considered to be missing during the Second World War. There were benefits for students whose age did not cross the border for 25 years, as well as for those awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, holders of three degrees of the Order of Glory, military men and their families. Since 1980, newlyweds have received the benefit for a year.

When families did have children, their own or adopted, it does not matter, the parents were exempted from the tax burden, which did not happen in situations when the only child of the parents died. The tax ceased to exist only in January 1992.

Divorce with a detailed explanation

How exactly the divorce proceedings were supposed to go was spelled out in the law back in 1936. But by the 44th year, in order to reduce the number of divorced in the country, the authorities decided to complicate the whole procedure. Those who expressed a desire to "ruin" the marriage had to go to court without fail, and those who strove to divide the children and jointly acquired property had a direct road to the prosecutor's office. If the latter turned out to be among the participants in the process, then both the spouses and the witnesses were to be interrogated.

The courts were ordered to do their best to reconcile the parties and not give the green light to "thoughtless and irresponsible" decisions on divorce. In practice, the system took the side of the weaker sex, and this despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of applications for divorce came from men.

This policy of the Soviet Union bore fruit in the form of beautiful statistics. If in the 40th year the number of divorces was at the level of 198,000, then by the 45th year the figure dropped to 6,600. However, the court and the prosecutor's office did not limit the matter. Those seeking to disperse were obliged to pay the duty, which in 1936 was set at 100-200 rubles, and by 1944 it was increased to 500-2000 rubles. Needless to say, at that time it was fabulous money.

In 1949, the activities of the lower authorities in the USSR were recognized as excessively lenient, which in many ways complicated the situation. But with the arrival of Brezhnev, in the 65th year, the unfortunate couple were able to breathe freely. Since then, the separation process has been greatly simplified. The press in the media ceased, about the upcoming court hearings, the prosecutor's office no longer dealt with divorces. The number of divorces after that doubled, from 360,000 in the 65th year to 646,000 in the 66th.

Family at a glance

In Soviet films, one can see how issues of an intimate nature were resolved at party meetings, where not indifferent Komsomol members immerse themselves with great interest in the personal sphere of other heroes. Such trials are beautifully described in one of Alexander Galich's songs "Red Triangle", where after lengthy excuses, before the participants of the party meeting, for "love on the side", the hero of the song still reconciles with his wife, not without persistent public influence.

As in the films, in real life in the Soviet Union, public meetings were often organized at which family matters were discussed. If the spouse found out about the infidelity of his half, he could boldly contact the trade union committee, the organization of the Komsomol or the party committee, which forced the culprit to return to the family, and in some cases forced him to justify his actions in front of the collective. For the purpose of more effective influence, a person could be deprived of bonuses, expelled from the party, etc.

Arrest for sodomy

In the early 1920s, sodomy was also legalized in the Soviet Union, simultaneously with the legalization of abortion. By 1922, there was no such article in the Criminal Code. In order to reaffirm its liberal attitude towards same-sex love, in 1926 the Soviet mission invited the gay emancipator Mangus Hirschfeld to Russia, who later founded the world community of sexual reformers. After this act, European officials elevated the USSR to the rank of a model for sex tolerance. But Herbert Wales considered the Soviet Union too tolerant.

This did not last long, exactly until December 1933. Then, from the pen of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, a decision came out, which in the 34th year became a law introduced into the Criminal Code. According to the document, for sexual relations of a homosexual nature, a prison sentence of up to 5 years was provided. With a similar relationship, but with a minor, the punishment was tightened up to 8 years. The first defendants appeared in 1933, and during the entire existence of the law, 130 people fell under the article.

The law also did not go around the popular singer of Soviet times - Vadim Kozin, who was sentenced to 8 years, exiled to the Kolyma. The law ended only in June 1993.

Soviet era sex production

Have you ever wondered why in the USSR condoms were called item number 2? The answer is simple - it is an indicator of the density of the rubber. By the way, the number 1 was awarded to gas masks. Rumor has it that the density of the condom was so strong that the product could withstand the volume of a bucket of water. Initially, condoms were made of less durable # 4 rubber, but these were very unreliable.

The first production of its own products was launched at a rubber products plant in Bakovka (Moscow region), then a number of other productions were opened: in Kiev, Serpukhov, Armavir. Under Khrushchev, the assortment of condoms increased to three sizes, and contraceptives could be purchased at the pharmacy.

The products were packed in special envelopes made of paper, if damaged, the condom dries out quickly and becomes unusable. There were two products in the package, and so that they did not stick to each other, they were powdered with talcum powder. According to the testers of those times, the condoms smelled not very pleasant and, in general, were uncomfortable. Production according to the "inconvenient" GOST continued until 1981, after which a new standard was issued, according to which the products resembled modern copies.

Among the huge number of Soviet families there were 16 early and short marriages of Soviet celebrities.