Mothers with manu children in East-Siberian urban area: provincial aspects of demographic transition (2nd half of 1950s - early 1980s)

According to experts, Russia underwent a demographic transition in the 20th century. The features of this process are: decline of birth rate and expansion in the number of families with few children (one or two). Urban specialists believe that having fewer children is typical for urban environment due to its specific character. At the same time, the documents show that, along with the general trend, families with many children are still in existence. This is common mostly for small provincial towns, however in larger cities it is still possible to encounter families with 4 and more children as well. According to existing calculations, the percentage of families with many children in urban areas is approximately 10 % of total population for the period under review. In 1944, Soviet government established a status of “mother-heroine” and several rewards providing exemptions and benefits to mothers who gave birth and raised more than five children, in order to solve the demographic crisis and to give social support to families with many children. Furthermore, a series of documents protecting maternity and child welfare was adopted. In the period of The Khrushchev Thaw, such benefits were broadened greatly and abortion was declared legal. During Brezhnevian Stagnation, the process of obtaining government support was bureaucratized dramatically, but, on the other hand, new benefits were established: for example, extension of the living space at the child birth, as well as increasing of benefit payments. In our opinion, the major role in saving a larger number of children in some families living in urban areas was played by inertia of a traditional way of thinking and housekeeping, which was maintained by low incomes. The negative side of the government support is the existence of dependent dysfunctional families. On the other hand, the role of a mother of many children was not always voluntary. Women with high fertility often gave birth unwillingly, as contraceptives were almost never used, due to their inaccessibility or conservative views. In urban areas, families with many children often turned out to become poor, for prosperous years of 1970-1980s were over. In addition, a number of serious difficulties in obtaining medical care, getting a place in a kindergarten or buying clothes were caused by limitations in social sphere. State support was not enough to solve the whole complex of problems. Thus, it is obvious that reproductive behavior of the women with many children in urban areas was determined by social and economical situation and, to a certain extent, by prevailing moral principles, which were mostly traditional.