3-GORBACHEV+Scott,+Carlos

IB 20TH CENTURY TOPICS RESEARCH: SOVIET REFORM IN THE GORBACHEV ERA (Women)

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 * 1)  __What was the situation for that group/institution before Gorbachev became Premier?__
 * Before Gorbachev became Premier, women were used to the difference between the articles of the constitution guaranteeing women equality, injustice in politics and work, the conditions of health care facilities, rape, protesters against lesbianism, and the constant pressure to maintain work and family responsibilities while not speaking their minds. In the beginning of the Glasnost era, many women began to become optimistic as they began to become a part of society. Women were finally a part of public discussion involving politics. The media represented women as a negative figure for society in Russia. This representation included crime, drug consumption, family separation, and child neglect. However, it was recognized that women faced many hardships as they struggled with keeping work and family balanced. There was also a recognition that the pressures and struggles that women experienced could lead to social problems, thus, improvements for women in society was crucial.
 * __Supporting document for the information:__ [[image:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Sh8V82pf2Fo3oiHfSSFqZkD8M38Mfk1rDrpgA9r-poTaAF7ZQT7ZzYGxGaZT1xbuEKmNIUblJjJFDxPv2eMMKYZgWCllemxv-C9iW8eR4sUj6Ci8DaV33hA0Jg width="494px;" height="184px;" caption="Screen shot 2014-03-03 at 1.19.24 PM.png"]]
 * "Soviet Social and Economic Policy concerning Women 1917-60." WU Hstry. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. .

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 * 1)  __How did that group/institution interpret the application of those policies to it?__
 * At first, women did not react to the new policies Gorbachev established because they weren’t encouraged to. However, women summoned Gorbachev in the 1980’s when propaganda emerged, expressing the Soviet regime's “emancipation” of women. Emancipation for Western socialist feminist is equal access to all social resources and equal opportunities. Women wanted liberation and emancipation, so in order to achieve this, it required to call into question the divisions in society which sustained women’s inferiority, those being the relations between the difference between the sexes, the sexual division of labor, and compulsory heterosexuality.
 * __Supporting document for the information:__ [[image:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wPBSzo1i35ygVCRJppHTeqqotDusYHQyGejwoncQhElPPiuhRlyE3OZz08bEGTIltuntHTDodmq6nr4YGLDbEQ-XpdGlsFS4NL2qh5APaZB0Xbo7aFHKTcyj5Q width="450px;" height="146px;"]]
 * Chatterjee, Choi. "Ideology, Gender and Propaganda in the Soviet Union: A Historical Survey." Ideology, Gender and Propaganda in the Soviet Union. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2014. .

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 * 1)  How did the Soviet state apply those policies to that group/institution, and what were the effects?
 * In 1985, Gorbachev sufficed to power and his goal was to try and help make women’s lives easier and better than before. He supported women in many categories such as economically, familial, and socialism. In his book, Perestroika, he said that women needed to focus on housework, upbringing of children in a familial environment, which he believed it was decreasing because of women’s desire to be equal as men. In addition, he believed that women just have a fair chance to prove themselves that they are just as equal as men through education and social life. Consequently, Gorbachev created the women’s council or Zhensovet. The women's council purpose was to accomplish many goals and resolve the problems women faced in Soviet society, which for the most part consisted of looking after the family. However, their main purpose was to bring a new and better life to the women in the Soviet society. Many organization joined the cause such as Gaia and LOTOS. Gaia, an organization, had one goal in mind: to acquire better jobs and supported self help for women and LOTOS served as the foundation for women’s movement. Gaia’s leaders sought for equality among men and women and Gaia served as a connection between Russo Feminism and other feminist groups.
 * __Supporting document for the information:__ [[image:https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/gjCtAeffyJoJDaXtXSPgv49pBz1B9DYVg07PYuZwXNh9fRfLtJJsopojrZruAq-U9CNDUOI6TDkoFpCRH5rwMdw-Rp1-0CoDjOCtrxgVPKj8_q1DsPV2SCs3Qg width="379px;" height="133px;" caption="Screen shot 2014-03-03 at 1.20.34 PM.png"]]
 * "Studies in Political Economy." Overemancipation? Liberation?: Soviet Women in the Gorbachev Period. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. .

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 * 1)  What was the significance of Gorbachev’s reforms as it pertained to that group/institution?
 * Women had many obstacles to overcome in the Soviet society. They were forced to overcome propaganda against independent feminist movements and women’s activism. The world was changing but society did not want to accept change. Society did not want to accept women’s rights. In addition, the Bolshevik legacy also posed obstacles for women to overcome. The Bolshevik legacy consisted of many traditional views towards women, that being as a mother and as a post soviet avoidance for political involvement which prevented the advancements of women organizations. However, Russo Feminism made its way onto Soviet society. Its primary focus was to help women achieve their goals and overcome their obstacles by raising awareness through books, articles, broadcasts, social activism, and many more during the Gorbachev era. During this time, Russia faced many problems as it is such as hyperinflation, poverty, ethnic unrest, separatists movements, crime, and health care crisis. Women’s rights wasn’t a high priority as it took away its attention to the major problems Russia faced. But, even though those were the problems Russia wanted to solve, women were the ones who were most affected by the Gorbachev era. Nothing in life is easy and women knew that. Even though hope was glimmering away, they fought and fought for their rights. They knew they were on their own, which taught them how to be independent and strong and to rely on nobody but themselves. This lesson was prominent in their success and without it, perhaps women right would have never been achieved.
 * __Supporting document for the information:__ [[image:https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/zPu3naCVtI5miJwZDNQd6GuEfZnxV-wBf8LJgY5JLP24uNIB9NDvECkPPmH7CgAwP8bhEe6lJg1Pnidi7lEjhbqbU1FTRUPDst7IHKwC-wfXFMYbW5_Z_QHfUQ width="484px;" height="187px;" caption="Screen shot 2014-03-03 at 1.23.22 PM.png"]]
 * "Russian Women in Politics and Society." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. .

Work Cited: > > > >
 * "After Gorbachev." Cambridge, n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2014. .
 * "Russian Women in Politics and Society." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. .
 * "Women's Activism in Contemporary Russia." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. .
 * Gorbachev, Mikhail. JSTOR. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. < [|__http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1973044?uid=3739920&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21103645624923__] >.