DISCUSSIONS ON THE PROHIBITION OF ABORTION AMONG THE SOVIET FAR EASTERN PUBLIC IN THE 1930s: BETWEEN THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND STATE IDEOLOGY

Abstract

The article is devoted to the reaction of the Soviet Far Eastern public on the prohibition of abortionplanned in 1936. In the 1930s, this question became political because the social and economic problems of people (housing and food) which became the side effect of the socialist reforms began to influence the family. By 1936, USSR was almost a totalitarian country. The main feature for all totalitarian countries is the birth control to increase the number of children and replenish demographic losses inthe present orfuture. This control conflicts with the reproductive freedom of women but is represented as an exclusive opportunity given by the state. Before the enactment of the law, it was submitted to the discussion of the Far Eastern people whose reaction was mostly negative because of the living conditions and the absence of contraception. Negative sentiments had both alatent reaction, which manifested itself in private conversations with relatives and colleges, and a public reaction, demonstrated during public appearances. Central and local powers tried to extirpate all the critical moods and negative reactions with different resources including the activation of agitation and propagandistic work with the use of verbal and visual resources. Although the authorities were aware of the reaction, the law was passed. However, it led to a short-time increasing of the childbirth and then its return to the level of 1935 with women’s death because of illegal abortions.