ПОВСЯКДЕННЕ ЖИТТЯ СІЛЬСЬКОГО НАСЕЛЕННЯ УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ «ПЕРЕБУДОВИ» 1985–1991 рр.

Abstract

On the eve of Gorbachev’s «perestroika» of 1985–1991, a special type of Soviet family was formed in Soviet society, characterized by the presence of a state or cooperative apartment, saving money for cars and retirement, standing in long lines for scarce or imported goods. Life in the city was becoming more comfortable, while the situation in the countryside was improving slowly and even regressing in some places. It was the worst in villages with a population of less than 100 people. Such settlements lacked basic infrastructure, such as a kindergarten, school, medical center, cultural center, catering facility, etc. The only thing they had was a small shop. In 1985, a republican scientific and practical conference on the complex restructuring of rural settlements was held in Dnipropetrovs’k. The isolated experience of the Dnipropetrovs’k region on the socio-economic development of rural areas was summarized by the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine. The Dnipropetrovs’k version of village reconstruction was considered justified and was used as an example for other regions of the Ukrainian SSR. Understanding the migration problem, the Dnipropetrovs’k region tried to find various incentives for young workers. In particular, it provided housing on a priority basis; provided consumer goods; and retained 25% of the average salary during the term of service for those who left their native village to join the USSR Armed Forces. And most importantly, it created a network of secondary schools that provided the necessary secondary education and the perspective of obtaining an agricultural profession in the vocational education system, thereby encouraging young people to stay in the countryside. At the same time, the village was losing its prestige. There was a growing migration of young people from villages to cities. The birth rate was decreasing. Villages were rapidly «aging». Young people in the countryside wanted to «escape» to the city as soon as possible, as they saw the hard, hopeless life of their parents. Those who «escaped» from the village mostly joined the ranks of workers and received housing in a dormitory in the city. The dissatisfaction of rural residents was primarily caused by the social and domestic sphere. Namely, poor medical care, poor road transport networks, low gasification, trade and cultural services, and water supply. Although the provision of living space exceeded the city’s average, it was significantly inferior in terms of comfort.