The problem of providing South Ural villagers with consumer goods (the late 1930s - the early 1940s)

The research analyzed the availability of manufactured goods and food for South Ural villagers by a case study of Chebarkulsky District from 1936 to early 1941. This was the period of free trade because the consumer goods were sold on cash rather than card system basis. The paper presented a wide range of goods revealed during the audit with the help of the contemporaneous archives and newspapers. Nevertheless, journalists of local print media noted the shortage of a number of goods, particularly manufactured ones, as well as furniture. Despite the centralized supply, hunting and fishing continued to play a big role in rural areas that helped vary people’s diets. Poor food production management was one of the reasons for failure to supply the population with dairy products. Notwithstanding the difficulties, villagers were sufficiently provided with essentials.