Сільська родина України в радянському способі життя 1950 - 1960-х рр.

Abstract

This article is to show the features of the functioning of Ukrainian rural family under the Soviet reality conditions in the 1950s – 1960s. The aim of the article is to study rural family in the Soviet way of living in the 1950 – 1960s. The authors deem it expedient to analyze possible sources of budget replenishment in single parent families, families of orphans and consider the financial status of such families. The problem of functioning of the family as a trace element of rural society requires studying, including the peculiarities of parenting and socialization of children in terms of the Soviet way of life.

Special attention was paid to the characteristics of social security benefits to single parent families and orphans, the possibilities of their material and spiritual consumption. Considerable attention is paid to family functions, parenting and socialization of children. The authors came to the point that rural family in the 1950s – 1960s had preserved the patriarchy and traditional elements of the nation’s spiritual values. First of all, this is evidenced by the functional duties of the family, that is its reproduction and processes of parenting and socialization of children.

Statistical materials consistently show that in the mid-twentieth century rural population prevailed in Ukraine. According to the social and economic conditions of those days, most peasants were united in collective farms with reference to the particular form of the production process. The peasant and his family, the possibilities of the material and spiritual consumption were entirely dependent on the working conditions, its effectiveness and capacity of rural infrastructure to ensure the needs of its residents.

The sources of this article are the documents stored in the central and the regional state archives of Ukraine. In particular, they are reporting documentation and statistical reports of regional and district social security departments on kolkhoz mutual aid funds; letters and complaints of rural citizens; oral history materials; annual statistical compilations of the national economy, census materials etc.

Thus, in the 1950 – 1960s rural family preserved patriarchy and traditional elements of spiritual values of the nation. First of all, this is evidenced by the functional responsibilities of the family, that is its reproduction and processes of parenting. Nevertheless, we may not say that conditions for the rural family existence were generally favorable to convey important knowledge for the further practical life of a village. A significant factor in the quality and level of spiritual values consumption that have to be performed by the family was the presence of parental guardianship and care. Statistics show that in rural areas of the USSR there were many single parent families. Moreover, it was not the worst situation as smallest opportunities to transfer cultural values were typical of orphans’ families.