3-GORBACHEV+Ramashesha,+Sneha

Gorbachev: Women

// 1. What was the situation for that group/institution before Gorbachev became Premier? // Prior to Gorbachev, the Cold War and Stalinism was going on. Stalinism was something that affected the entire population, especially women. Before Stalinism. women were treated as domestic property. They did not receive equality in any way at all, but Stalinism declared that women could only be given freedom through a socialist system. In this potential socialist system, women were meant to be given equal employment, education, and ability for political involvement. Although this was the plan, during Stalinism, when these were supposed to be implemented, the situation during the 1930’s showed that women received the worse end of the complex destruction. There was a famine that came after collectivization which caused women to have a shortage of food, lack of services, and lack of education, directly affecting their families. There were also many issues with the requirements for their employment as well. During the violence of Stalinism, there were more men than women who were killed, which affected the women. Some of these included the collectivization, and the summary executions during the “Great Terror” which was in 1936-1938. Nevertheless, during the Great Terror, women were also victims, and in fact, thousands were killed or placed in prison. Others had to deal with the loss of their fathers, husbands or sons. Clearly, Stalinism was a destructive time period for the Soviet Union. After this period was coming to an end, things started to change in the social system, including for women. More women entered the labor force and education and at the same time they increased in number throughout the economy. Although the work that they did was low paying, and not political. Many people migrated from small towns and villages into the cities, giving women opportunity for work and study. Even so, they had to take care of the burden of the labor with few resources. On a daily basis, women were harassed, and exploited. So, even though they were able to get the chance to do better things, the social issues were not changed and they were still having issues. DOCUMENT: [|__http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Cold-War-Ads-If-Russia-Should-Win.jpg__]

// 2. How did that group/institution interpret the application of those policies to it? //

After Gorbachev came into power there was excitement and optimism during the Glasnost. During this time, women voiced their opinions about the past. They talked about their dissatisfaction with the issues that they had faced. Women’s position in society was talked about openly. There were declarations that women would be given social change and improvement. Through multiple interviews, people realized that although Soviet women were emancipated, some believe that they were too equal to men. This is still a problem occurring today, and very surprising that some women would rather have less rights than the men, instead of over emancipation. DOCUMENT:



3. How did the Soviet state apply those policies to that group/institution, and what were the effects? In 1986, Gorbachev created a unified system of women’s councils. They were organizations that coordinated women in the country. These nationally recognized the problems for women. Gorbachev decided that it is important for the Soviet Union to involve the women into managing the economy and society. This caused the creation of the women’s councils, starting in 1986. These councils unified the women in the country and they recognized the problems for women in the country. In 1987, there was a Plenary Meeting which raised issues of women in political positions. They thought about raising women to administration because many of them were working in health, education, culture science, consumer, trade and services. The Soviets ended discrimination against women and they were guaranteed equal social status as men. The effects of these changes were that women were given equal right to work and education. DOCUMENT: __ [] __

4. What was the significance of Gorbachev’s reforms as it pertained to that group/institution?

The situation before and at the beginning of Gorbachev being Premier was unequal and shocking because they were promised a change with Stalin, but they did not come through and the problems increased as the problems with the country economically increased. There was many deaths and families in bad situations because of it. After the reforms and councils that were created by Gorbachev, even though some people believe otherwise, they helped the women and their equality with the men. DOCUMENT:

BIBLIOGRAPHY "Overemancipation? Liberation?: Soviet Women in the Gorbachev Period." //spe.library.ontario//. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. . "Perestroika." //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Feb. 2014. Web. 3 Mar. 2014. . "Women in World History : MODULE 11." //Women in World History : MODULE 11//. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. .