Essay plans done in a bullet point style format. Includes full introduction and conclusion answering the question. Each paragraph is a different factor providing explanation and giving facts and statistics to support the argument.
(A* History Student)
Question – Was the provision of full employment the main reason for social stability in the
USSR during the years 1953-85?
Introduction
During the years 1953-85, the USSR entered a period of “developed socialism” whereby the
economy was ready to deliver the material benefits of a socialist society. Full employment
under Stalin did not have any of the associated benefits, but after the period of rapid
industrialisation there were improvements in the standard of living which were key factors
in improving social stability during these later years. Particularly after the reduction of terror
in 1953 this became an important factor in buttressing the regime. Nonetheless, there were
many other factors that kept society stable during this period such as education which tied
the population to the state as well as the increased availability of consumer goods.
Para 1 – full employment/ job security
Increase in real wages by 50% during 1967-77. Really helped social stability was the
difference between the best/worst paid. Wages differentials were less than half that
of the USA in 1970. This enabled those to work hard to gain more without causing
resentment for those higher paid.
Soviet Constitution 1977 stated that everyone had employment
Wages of rural workers were only 10% less from their urban counterparts – helped
reduce country/town divisions
It was very hard to dismiss someone at their job which meant the majority of the
population had security in their employment and were always receiving an income
which did much to keep poverty rates down.
OTOH – during the later years, under Brezhnev there was clear evidence of the
USSR’s economy grinding to a halt. Growth rates in the economy were declining and
it was clear that the economic system that the social contract was based on could
not be sustained. The system was based on poor productivity and corrupt practices.
Eval: on the face of it, full employment appeared to be a key reason in providing
social stability under ‘developed socialism’. However, the system that it was based
on had lower labour productivity and inefficient practices which meant that its role
in providing social stability was undermined since it could not be sustained in the
long run.
Para 2 – increased availability of consumer goods
9th Five Year Plan saw a focus on consumer goods
Increase in availability of consumer goods meant that the population could now
purchase items with their wages and receive the material benefits for employment
A population whose basic needs are meet would be much more likely to support a
regime that carries responsibility for providing it.
Eval: now that there was a greater availability of certain goods the population could
receive rewards for their work rather than just accumulate savings. These tangible
goods did much to improve social stability during the period as there was evidence
of people’s employment. Therefore, the provision of full employment was a key
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