Everyday Stalinism I

Series: 

Author:
A.K. Sokolov
Everyday Stalinism I
Living Standards, Norms and Values of Various Groups of Soviet People in the 1920s and 1930s

Central Administration of Statistics
The archival materials in this collection, now held at the Russian State Archives of Economics (RGAE), were compiled by the Central Administration of Statistics of the USSR (TsSU), founded in 1917. Its main tasks were gathering statistical information and setting up inquiries. The TsSU underwent many changes and was later named TsUNKhU (Central Administration of Economics and Social Statistics) operating under the Commission for State Planning, the Gosplan. The documents remained classified until 1993.

Surveys
In 1936 and 1938 the TsUNKhU, in cooperation with the VLKSM (the All-Union Lenin Young Communist League - an organization responsible for the political education of young people in the USSR), set up a special survey into the cultural and political interest and way of life of young workers and students (1936) and kolkhozniki (1938).
The questionnaires clearly reflect the Soviet ideology of the 1920s and 1930s. The forms contain questions concerning, among other things, participation in socialist political work, party membership, membership of the Stakhanov-movement (named after Alexey Stakhanov - a miner who delved twenty times a day’s norm of coal in one day) and participation in the GTO program (Ready for Labor and Defense - a semi-military popular movement). The questionnaire, however, is divers and also provides information regarding matters of education, attendance of cultural and public events, use of libraries, possession of books, knowledge of foreign languages, memberships of sport societies and recreational activities (did they have radios, skis, musical instruments, etc.) A special section deals with questions on popular and political literature including classical works of Marxism-Leninism as well as books by M. Gorky, A.Serafimovitch, D. Furmanov, N. Ostrovskii, L. Tolstoy, H. de Balzac, I. Turgenev etc.

Labor Statistics
The documents produced by the Labor Statistics Department, a special department within the TsSU, form the core of the collection. The documents contain information on every aspect of labor of interest to the soviet government: efficiency, disciplinary fines, monthly salaries, the division of workers among the different branches of Soviet industry, women in different professions and membership of the "udarniki movement" (a doctrine stimulating workers to produce beyond their daily quotes). The documents also contain data on unemployment and the salary funds movements in capitalist countries in 1932. In addition to statistics on labor, the documents contain information on the living conditions of the soviet people, such as housing, clothing, food consumption, medical care, recreational habits, expenditure etc.

Historical value
The documents of the collection provide insight into the development of the socialist society and the impact of the socialist economy on various social and ethnic groups in the Soviet Union. Most of them were brought up and formed by the Soviet political system. The statistical and analytical data cover various cities and regions (Moscow, Leningrad, Ukraine, Ural, and Republic of Germans in the Volga region and many others). The surveys (questionnaires) were addressed to various professionals and ethnic groups – industrial workers, engineers, employers, kolkhozniki and students.

Russian State Archives of Economics
The RGAE is one of the largest archives within the Russian Federation. It used to be known till 1992 as the Central State Archive of People’s Economy (Tsentral’nyi gosudarstvennyi arkhiv narodnogo khoziastva, TsGANKh) and is the principal repository for documents on political, economic and administrative matters, containing materials from 1917 onwards. The archive contains the fonds of the narkomaty (people’s commissariat), ministries and state committees such as the State Committee on Statistics (Goskomstat), planning agencies such as Gosplan, and other central governmental agencies, which managed, planned and financed the national economy in the USSR.
Many of the formerly restricted fonds and parts of fonds have been declassified in recent years, including most of the records of Gosplan, the State Committee on Statistics (Goskomstat), and military industrial institutions. In many fonds of more recent origin, secret sections remain classified. RGAE contains 2021 fonds, with more than 4 million files. These documents provide a full picture of the Soviet State during its 70 year long history The collection includes the following types of documents:
• TsSU and the TsUNKhU bulletins containing the results of investigations into the income and expenditure of the soviet population (1926-1928, 1932, 1934-1939).
• Reports and secret memorandums of the TsUNKhU to the Central Committee of the Communist Party and government concerning the budgets and salaries of factory workers (1932-1935).
• Instructions on how to compose questionnaires for the surveys into the lifestyle and interests of students, young workers and kolkhozniki (1936,1938).
• Filled-in questionnaires (1936,1938).
• Registration forms completed by day-laborers containing information on salary etc. (March 1935).
Copyright Year:
1999
Microfiche Collection
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-19772-5
Publication date:
01 Jan 1999
Cover Everyday Stalinism I

Prices from (excl. shipping):

Finding aid to "Everyday Stalinism. I, Living standards, norms and values of various groups of the Soviet people in the 1920's and 1930's"
Description of the Archive Container List


Living standards, norms and values of various groups of the Soviet people in the 1920's and 1930's


Collection guide written by:

Finding aid prepared by Russian State Archives of Economy (RGAE), Moscow, and IDC Publishers, Leiden

Digital version:

Machine-readable finding aid and skeletal markup derived from Word file; markup checked and completed by Egbert Efting Dijkstra (IDC Publishers)


Descriptive Summary

Title: Living standards, norms and values of various groups of the Soviet people in the 1920's and 1930's
Creator: Soviet Union. Tsentral΄noe upravlenie narodnokhoziaĭstvennogo ucheta
Dates: 1925-1939
Extent: 1,141 microfiches; 57 files, containing 27,584 pages
Language(s): Russian
Abstract: Materials providing information on the living standards, and cultural interest of various groups of Soviet people in the 1920's and 1930's
Ordernumber: ES-1
Publisher: IDC Publishers

Location of Originals

The Russian State Archives of Economy (RGAE), Moscow. Fond 1562.

Custodial History

The materials in this collection were classified until 1993.

Biography / History Note

The Central Administration for Statistics of the USSR (until 17 January 1923 known as the Central Administration for Statistics of the Russian Federation) was founded on 25 July 1918. On 19 March 1926 it was granted the status of Narkomat Soiuzov SSSR (Ministerial powers).

Its main tasks were the following:

  • Setting up, expanding and supervising over statistical work within the state organs and administrations
  • Conducting national, industrial and agricultural censuses
  • Publishing statistical information

In the late 20s / early 30s the focus of attention gradually shifted to various problems concerning the economy.

In 1930 the Central Administration for Statistics became subordinate to the Gosplan (Ministry of State Planning) and was renamed the Ekonomiko-Statisticheskiĭ Sektor (Department of Economics and Statistics). On 17 December 1931 it was again renamed to TsUNKhu (Central Administration of People's Economy) and again on 24 March 1941 to TsSU. From 10 March 1948 onwords it became directly subordinate to the Council of Ministers.

Scope and Content

The contents of the materials provide an insight into the socialist society of the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s. It provides answers to questions on the cultural and political interest and economic situation of the ordinary Soviet citizen within that period. How much money did a Soviet engineer earn? Did every student read Marx and own a radio? Could an average family spend enough money on food? How active were Soviet citizens in socialist political movements?

In 1936 and 1938 the TsUNKhU, in cooperation with the VLKSM (the All-Union Lenin Young Communist League - an organization responsible for the political education of young people in the USSR), set up a special survey into the cultural and political interest and way of life of young workers and students (1936) and kolkhozniki (1938). The questionnaires clearly reflect the Soviet ideology of the 1920s and 1930s. The forms contain questions concerning, among other things, participation in socialist political work, party membership, membership of the Stakhanov-movement (named after Alekseĭ Stakhanov - a miner who delved twenty times a day's norm of coal in one day) and participation in the GTO program (Ready for Labor and Defense - a semi-military popular movement).The questionnaire, however, is divers and also provides information regarding matters of education, attendance of cultural and public events, use of libraries, possession of books, knowledge of foreign languages, memberships of sport societies and recreational activities (did they have radios, skis, musical instruments, etc.) A special section deals with questions on popular and political literature including classical works of Marxism-Leninism as well as books by M. Gorkiĭ, A.Serafimovich, D. Furmanov, N. Ostrovskiĭ, L. Tolstoĭ, H. de Balzac, I. Turgenev, etc.

The documents produced by the Labor Statistics Department, a special department within the TsSU, form the core of the collection. The documents contain information on every aspect of labor of interest to the Soviet government: efficiency, disciplinary fines, monthly salaries, the division of workers among the different branches of Soviet industry, women in different professions and membership of the "udarniki movement" (a doctrine stimulating workers to produce beyond their daily quotes). The documents also contain data on unemployment and the salary funds movements in capitalist countries in 1932.In addition to statistics on labor, the documents contain information on the living conditions of the Soviet people, such as housing, clothing, food consumption, medical care, recreational habits, expenditure, etc.

The documents of the collection provide insight into the development of the socialist society and the impact of the socialist economy on various social and ethnic groups in the Soviet Union. Most of them were brought up and formed by the Soviet political system. The statistical and analytical data cover various cities and regions (Moscow, Leningrad, Ukraine, Ural, and Republic of Germans in the Volga region and many others). The surveys (questionnaires) were addressed to various professionals and ethnic groups - industrial workers, engineers, employers, kolkhozniki and students.

The collection includes the following types of documents:

  • TsSU and the TsUNKhU bulletins containing the results of investigations into the income and expenditure of the Soviet population (1926-1928, 1932, 1934-1939)
  • Reports and secret memorandums of the TsUNKhU to the Central Committee of the Communist Party and government concerning the budgets and salaries of factory workers (1932-1935)
  • Instructions on how to compose questionnaires for the surveys into the lifestyle and interests of students, young workers and kolkhozniki (1936,1938)
  • Filled-in questionnaires (1936,1938)
  • Registration forms completed by day-laborers containing information on salary etc. (March 1935)

Arrangement

The materials are organized into the following series:

Selected Search Terms

Topics

Soviets (People)--Statistics

Places

Soviet Union--Economic conditions--1917-1945
Soviet Union--Social conditions--1917-1945
Soviet Union--Social life and customs

Related Materials

Other publications in the "Everyday Stalinism" series:

ES-2:Peasants under Stalinism: mentality and way of life, 1923-1929, 1938-1939

Index of Organizations and Geographic Names

The following organizations and geographic names are mentioned in the container list of this finding aid.

Organizations

  • Государственный комитет по статистике - Госкомстат [Gosudarstvennyĭ komitet po statistike - Goskomstat]
  • Народный комиссариат обороны [Narodnyĭ komissariat oborony] = People's Commissariat for Defense
  • Совет народных комиссаров СССР - СНК СССР [Sovet narodnykh komissarov SSSR - SNK SSSR] = Soviet of People's Commissars of the USSR
  • Центральное cтатистическое управление СССР - ЦСУ СССР [Tsentral´noe statisticheskoe upravlenie SSSR - TsSU SSSR] = Central Administration for Statistics of the USSR
  • Центральное управление народно-хозяйственного учета СССР - ЦУНХУ СССР [Tsentral´noe upravlenie narodno-khoziaĭstvennogo ucheta SSSR - TsUNKhU SSSR] = Central Administration for Statistics - Peoples Husbandry of the USSR
  • Центральный комитет Всероссийской коммунистической партии (большевиков) - ЦК ВКП(б) [Tsentral´nyĭ komitet Vserossiĭskoĭ kommunisticheskoĭ partii (bol´shevikov) - TsК VKP(b)] = Central Committee of the All-Russian Communist Party

Geographic Names

  • Автономная социалистическая советская республика немцев Поволжья [Avtonomnaia sotsialisticheskaia sovetskaia respublika nemtsev Povolzh´ia = Autonomous Socialist Republic of Germans of Povolzhie]
  • Гомельская область [Gomel´skaia oblast´ = Homel´skaia oblast´]
  • Горький [Gor´kiĭ]
  • Днепропетровск [Dnepropetrovsk = Dnipropetrivs´k]
  • Донецкая область [Donetskaia oblast´ = Donets´ka oblast´]
  • Иваново [Ivanovo]
  • Курская область [Kurskaia oblast´]
  • Ленинград [Leningrad]
  • Москва [Moskva]
  • Московская область [Moskovskaia oblast´]
  • Омская область [Omskaia oblast´]
  • Орехово-Зуево [Orekhovo-Zuevo]
  • Полтавская область [Poltavskaia oblast' = Poltavs´ka oblast´]
  • Ростовская область [Rostovskaia oblast´]
  • Свердловская область [Sverdlovskaia oblast´]
  • Харьков [Khar´kov = Kharkiv]
  • Харьковская область [Khar´kovskaia oblast´ = Kharkivs´ka oblast´]

Container List


Inquiries into cultural and political interest, 1936-1938


Title: Инструментарии ЦУНХУ Госплана СССР вторичного обследования культуры и быта молодежи за 1936-1938 гг.
Dates: 1936-1938 гг.
Physical description: 133 с. (23 с об.)
Microfiche number: 255-261

Title: Бланки индивидуального обследования культуры и быта рабочей и студенческой молодежи в машиностроительной промышленности г. Горького за 1936 г.
Dates: 1936 г.
Physical description: 363; 277 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 262-307
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 848; мф. 262-287)
  • Том II (дело 849; мф. 288-307)


Title: То же в текстильной промышленности г. Иваново
, 1936.
Dates: 1936.
Physical description: 538; 378 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 308-370
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 850; мф. 308-342)
  • Том II (дело 851; мф. 343-370)


Title: То же в машиностроительной и текстильной промышленности г. Ленинграда
1936.
Dates: 1936.
Physical description: 472 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 371-405

Title: То же, г. Москвы
. 1936.
Dates: 1936.
Physical description: 500; 407 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 406-471
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 853; мф. 406-441)
  • Том II (дело 854; мф. 442-471)


Title: То же в текстильной промышленности г. Орехово-Зуево
. 1936.
Dates: 1936.
Physical description: 262 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 472-490

Title: Бланки индивидуального обследования культуры и быта рабочей и студенческой молодежи в черной металлургии г. Днепропетровска
за 1936 г.
Dates: 1936 г.
Physical description: 337; 260 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 491-534
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 856; мф. 491-511)
  • Том II (дело 857; мф. 512-534)


Title: То же в черной металлургии и каменно-угольной промышленности Донецкой области
за 1936 г.
Dates: 1936 г.
Physical description: 128; 170; 365; 180; 416 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 535-660
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 858, мф. 535-553)
  • Том II (дело 859, мф. 554-578)
  • Том III (дело 860, мф. 579-604)
  • Том IV (дело 861, мф. 605-630)
  • Том V (дело 862, мф. 631-660)


Title: То же, в машиностроительной промышленности г. Харькова
за 1936.
Dates: 1936.
Physical description: 438 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 661-692

Title: Сводные таблицы ЦУНХУ при Госплане СССР по обследованию быта колхозной молодежи по СССР за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 181 с.
Microfiche number: 693-702

Title: Бланки индивидуального обследования культуры и быта колхозной молодежи по Курской области
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 334; 301 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 703-748
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 1015; мф. 703-726)
  • Том II (дело 1016; мф. 727-748)


Title: То же, по Московской области
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 253 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 749-767

Title: То же, по Омской области
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 446 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 768-799

Title: То же, по районам автономной республики немцев Поволжья
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 333; 355 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 800-849
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 1019; мф. 800-823)
  • Том II (дело 1020; мф. 824-849)


Title: Бланки индивидуального обследования культуры и быта колхозной молодежи по Полтавской области
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 401; 302; 399; 401 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 850-958
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 1021, мф. 850-878)
  • Том II (дело 1022, мф. 879-900)
  • Том III (дело 1023, мф. 901-929)
  • Том IV (дело 1024, мф. 930-958)


Title: То же, по Гомельской области
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 493 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 959-994

Title: То же, по Ростовской области
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 322; 399; 242 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 995-1065
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 1026; мф. 995-1018)
  • Том II (дело 1027; мф. 1019-1047)
  • Том III (дело 1028; мф. 1048-1065)


Title: То же, по Свердловской области
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 448 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 1066-1098

Title: То же, по Харьковской области
за 1938 г.
Dates: 1938 г.
Physical description: 287; 299 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 1099-1141
Note: Содержание:
  • Том I (дело 1030; мф. 1099-1119)
  • Том II (дело 1031; мф. 1120-1141)


Statistics on labor, income and expenditure of Soviet citizens, 1925-1939


Title: Бюллетень ЦСУ СССР"Бюджеты служащих СССР за 1926-1928 гг.". Выпуск V, 1928.
Dates: 1928.
Physical description: 101 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 1-12

Title: Бюллетень "Бюджеты рабочих и служащих по республикам, краям и областям СССР за 1932 г.".
Dates: 1932 г.
Physical description: 48 с.
Microfiche number: 13-19

Title: Бюллетень № 11 (21) ЦУНХУ СССР по учету труда за ноябрь 1932 г.
Dates: ноябрь 1932 г.
Physical description: 106 (70 с об.)
Microfiche number: 20-27

Title: Бюллетень ЦУНХУ СССР- "Бюджеты рабочих за 1934 г.".
Dates: 1934 г.
Physical description: 46 с.
Microfiche number: 28-31

Title: Бюллетень ЦУНХУ СССР - "Бюджеты рабочих и ИТР за 1935 г.".
Dates: 1935 г.
Physical description: 169 с.
Microfiche number: 32-44

Title: Бюллетень ЦУНХУ СССР - "Бюджеты рабочих за 1935 г.".
Dates: 1935 г.
Physical description: 123; 183; 222 с.
Microfiche number: 45-84
Note: Содержание:
  • I, II кварталы (дело 806б; мф. 45-53)
  • III квартал (дело 806в; мф. 54-67)
  • IV квартал (дело 806г; мф. 68-84)


Title: Докладные записки ЦУНХУ СССР в ЦК ВКП(б) и СНК СССР и таблицы данных о бюджетах фабрично-заводских семейных рабочих по отраслям промышленности по СССР за 1932-1935 гг. 1935.
Dates: 1935.
Physical description: 137 с. (1 с об.)
Microfiche number: 239-244

Title: Таблицы (ф. рф. I) ЦУНХУ СССР данных о численности вольнонаемных работников и фонд ах их зарплаты по Наркомату обороны СССР по РСФСР и союзным республикам в разрезе областей за март 1935г. 1935.
Dates: 1935.
Physical description: 257 с. (с об.)
Microfiche number: 245-254

Title: Бюллетень ЦУНХУ СССР - "Бюджеты рабочих и ИТР за 1936 г.".
Dates: 1936 г.
Physical description: 161; 32; 237; 173; 184 с.
Microfiche number: 85-144
Note: Содержание:
  • I квартал (дело 847а; мф. 85-96)
  • Апрель (дело 847б; мф. 97-99)
  • II квартал и I полугодие (дело 847в; мф. 100-117)
  • III квартал (дело 847г; мф. 118-130)
  • IV квартал (дело 847д; мф. 131-144)


Title: Бюллетень ЦУНХУ СССР - "Бюджеты рабочих и ИТР за 1937 г.".
Dates: 1937 г.
Physical description: 279; 255; 251; 249 с.
Microfiche number: 145-220
Note: Содержание:
  • I квартал (дело 919а; мф. 145-165)
  • II квартал (дело 919б; мф. 166-184)
  • III квартал (дело 919в; мф. 185-202)
  • IV квартал (дело 919г; мф. 203-220)


Title: Бюллетень ЦУНХУ СССР - "Бюджеты рабочих и ИТР за январь-апрель 1938 г.".
Dates: январь-апрель 1938 г.
Physical description: 164 с.
Microfiche number: 221-232

Title: Бюллетень ЦУНХУ Госплана СССР "Бюджеты рабочих и служащих по СССР" за май-ноябрь 1939 г.
Dates: май-ноябрь 1939 г.
Physical description: 73 с.
Microfiche number: 233-235

Title: То же по республикам, краям и областям СССР за 1939 г.
Dates: 1939 г.
Physical description: 66 с.
Microfiche number: 236-238



  • Collapse
  • Expand
Publisher:
Brill
Language:
Russian

Manufacturer information:
Koninklijke Brill B.V. 
Plantijnstraat 2
2321 JC
Leiden / The Netherlands
productsafety@degruyterbrill.com