Regional Regulation of the Social Sphere of the Village in the 1970s. (the Case of the Orenburg Region)

Relevance. Modern discussions about the past and present of the Russian countryside create the need to refer to the historical experience of the Soviet state in regulating social processes. In the 1970s, the state began to turn towards the social sphere of the village, new trends in its development emerged. This is the period when the party leadership of the country is searching for optimal ways to solve the issues of improving the socio-economic and cultural living conditions of rural workers. The purpose – analysis of the main aspects of state regulation of the social sphere of the village of the Orenburg region in the 1970s. Objectives: to determine the content and main directions of the state policy on the social development of rural areas; to study the regional aspects of social policy in rural areas, to show the features of its implementation in the Orenburg region. Metodology. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity. The methodo-logical basis of the research is a systematic approach. The comparative historical method and the method of logical analysis are used. Results. The understanding of the importance of social issues was reflected in a number of documents of the party and state bodies of the Orenburg region in the 1970s. At meetings of regional party conferences, as well as plenums of the Orenburg Regional Committee, various social and everyday issues were put as the main agenda of the event. The study reveals the ways, forms and methods of activating socio-cultural activities in rural areas, provides an objective analysis of the role of party and economic structures in the processes of reforming the social sphere. Conclusion. In the 1970s, the state turned to the social sphere of the village, new trends in its development were outlined. Despite the fact that the awareness of the importance of social development of rural areas and the population was evidently reflected in many resolutions of the regional committee and official speeches of the top officials of the region, social policy in the 1970s did not become a priority area of activity of the regional party organization.