Communist Policies on Family, 1917-1941

What was the communist view on family?

The communist view of family changed over time. Initially, they saw the traditional family as unnecessary and bourgeois. However, Stalin's Great Retreat in 1936 saw the return of more traditional views about family.

What policies on family did the communists introduce?

The communists brought in 4 main policies which affected the family:

• ❖ In 1918, the Family Code said the state would provide child care and social services as the family was no longer necessary. Divorce was made easier, abortion was legalised and créches were made available.
• ❖ In 1927, new marriage laws meant that unregistered marriages and registered marriages had equal status.
• ❖ In 1936, Stalin returned to traditional family values in his Great Retreat which made divorce more expensive, and both male homosexuality and abortion were made illegal.
• ❖ In July 1944, the status of family was increased again, as a tax on single people was introduced and women who had ten or more children received the 'Mother Heroine' award.

What were the results of the communists' policies on family?

The communists' policies on family had mixed results:

• ❖ The initial policy of 1918 had unintended consequences because it encouraged divorce and family breakdown resulting in an increase in single mothers and abandoned children. By the mid-1920s the USSR had the highest divorce rate in Europe.
• ❖ It led to social problems with gangs of orphans roaming the streets.
• ❖ Stalin's Great Retreat led to a 28% increase in births from 1931 to 1940.