Women in the Khrushchev Era: an Overview

TL;DRAbstract

This chapter provides an overview of the changing roles and status of women in the Soviet Union in the Khrushchev era (1956–64), incorporating many of the issues that will be discussed in more detail in subsequent chapters.1 In this period of tentative de-Stalinisation, Khrushchev gave new impetus to the ‘woman question’ and reversed a number of important legal decisions concerning women and the family that had been introduced in the 1930s and 19405.2 The outcome of the population losses and demographic imbalance resulting from the Second World War was that considerable emphasis was now placed on the health and welfare of women, in particular concerning their reproductive rights and maternal responsibilities. The relative economic prosperity of the post-war years provided additional material benefits and home comforts for all Soviet citizens, as well as bringing about changes in the conditions of employment in both industry and agriculture. The scope of production was now extended to t

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