The Problem of Preserving Younger Generation in the Policy of Local Authorities of the Baikal Region (1936–50)

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Scientific article

УДК 94(47)+94(571.54)+94(571.53)+930.253

DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2022-2-571-583

Shalak, Alexander V., Burdina, Darya A.

Baikal State University, Irkutsk, Russian Federation

The Problem of Preserving Younger Generation in the Policy of Local Authorities of the Baikal Region (1936–50)

Abstract

The article studies social policy of the authorities of the Baikal region in 1936–50 aimed at protection of children, including regional specifics of their formation, their main activities in the field of child protection and mechanisms of its implementation. It draws on materials from the regional archives and periodicals to study combating homelessness and neglect, organization of summer wellness campaign, work of kindergartens, nurseries, orphanages, as well as Soviet legal framework ensuring the protection of childhood. The need for construction of social facilities, meal arrangements for children, providing clothing and things led to inclusion of almost all departmental institutions in the process of preserving younger generation: orphans, children who lost contact with parents and relatives, children left without parental care. The authors note that preserving younger generation became one of the primary tasks of the local authorities’ social policy; in the wartime it became urgent due to the need to attract women to industries. It is noted that local governments created guarantees to improve social and financial situation of children even in the wartime crisis. The criterion for evaluating the authorities’ activities is reduction of the mortality rate of children. In the following years, the social policy in sphere of motherhood and childhood was repeatedly corrected, but the experience of 1936–50 remains relevant to this day.


Keywords

Archive, source, social policy, child protection, Republic of Buryatia, Irkutsk region, measures of social support of children.

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References

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About the authors

Shalak Alexander Vasilievich, PhD in History, professor, Baikal State University, department of international relations and customs, head of the department, Irkutsk, Russian Federation, +7-395-250-00-08, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Burdina Darya Alexandrovna, Baikal State University, department of international relations and customs, PhD student, Irkutsk, Russian Federation, +7-395-250-00-08, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Submitted 7.10.2021, published (for citation):

SHALAK, A. V., BURDINA, D. A. Problema sokhraneniya podrastayushchego pokoleniya mestnymi organami vlasti Baikal'skogo regiona. 1936-1950 gg. [The Problem of Preserving Younger Generation in the Policy of Local Authorities of the Baikal Region (1936–50). In Russ.]. IN: Vestnik arhivista / Herald of an Archivist, 2022, no. 2, pp. 571-583. doi 10.28995/2073-0101-2022-2-571-583

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