Social Justice as an Incentive and a Brake on Economic Development: The Contradictions of the USSR as Challenges for the Future

The article examines the experience of the USSR in the field of solving the problem of correlation between social justice and economic efficiency. The characteristics of those aspects of Soviet experience in the sphere of implementation of social justice principles in the sphere of labor and distribution, which have potential for application in the conditions of modern capitalism to respond to the current challenges, are outlined. Firstly, it is noted that social justice is not reduced to inequality of income and distribution of wealth but is considered in connection with the human factor of economic development. In an expanded understanding, social justice includes a measure of access to basic resources such as labour, housing, education, health and other areas of human development. The experience of the USSR is characterised by the fact that, on the one hand, the universal availability and security of these basic resources (public goods) created the grounds for stimulating human development. On the other hand, the violation of these declared principles in practice (due to the development of bureaucratic privileges and benefits, the shadow economy, etc.) caused serious negative incentives, which became one of the elements in the system of reasons for the departure of “real socialism” from the historical scene. Secondly, the article points out that the Soviet system of income generation based on the principles of labour distribution was a combination of planned-normative and market-capitalist principles designed to create economic “egoistic” incentives. To the extent that this system was implemented, it succeeded in stimulating productivity and labour (but not market) initiative. But the manifestation, and in later stages of the USSR's development – in some cases the predominance, of bureaucratic-voluntarist foundations in the system created rather negative incentives. Relations of alienation in the sphere of appropriation and disposal of public property undermined socialist incentives to work and social innovation. The author concludes that some of the achievements of the Soviet system in the realisation of social justice are possible and effective in meeting the challenge of sustainable development in the 21st century. In particular, practices that were developed in the Soviet system, such as the provision of basic goods that are publicly available and free to users, the use of forms of work organisation based on a combination of competition, solidarity and self-government, etc., remain important.

The Challenges to Social Control in Brezhnev’s Soviet Union, 1964-1982

This article examines the development of social control in the Soviet Union under Leonid Brezhnev, who was General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1964 to 1982. Historians have largely neglected this question, especially with regard to its evolution and efficiency. Research is based on sources in the Russian State Archive of Modern History (RGANI), the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (RGASPI) and the Moscow Central State Archive (TSGAM). During Brezhnevs rule, Soviet propaganda reached the peak of its development. However, despite the fact that authorities tried to improve it, the system was ritualistic, unconvincing, unwieldy, and favored quantity over quality. The same was true for political education, which did little more than inspire sullen passivity in its students. Although officials recognized these failings, their response was ineffective, and over time Soviet propaganda increasingly lost its potency. At the same time, there were new trends in the system of social control. Authorities tried to have a foot in both camps - to strengthen censorship, and at the same time to get feedback from the public. However, many were afraid to express any criticism openly. In turn, the government used data on peoples sentiments only to try to control their thoughts. As a result, it did not respond to matters that concerned the public. These problems only increased during the era of stagnation and contributed to the decline and subsequent collapse of the Soviet system.

Orphanages of Zaporizhzhia Province in the Years of Mass Artificial Famine (1921—1923)

The article analyzes the state of orphanages in Zaporizhzhia province during the mass artificial famine of 1921–1923 to explain the dynamics of how they were created and why they were closed, to characterize the attitude of Zaporizhzhia party nomenclature towards the aid for children starving in the orphanages. Statistics on the number of children's shelters and the number of children in them are summarized; on the basis of archival documents the author's tables of calculating the dynamics of movement of a contingent in shelters of Zaporizhzhia province are made; social and living conditions of children who were brought up there are disclosed.The mass artificial famine of 1921–1923 had devastating consequences for the starving provinces of Ukraine: the Bolshevik prodrozkladka exhausted the Ukrainian peasantry, and the famine was especially raging in the southern Ukrainian provinces, where more than 40% of the population were affected. The situation was aggravated by the systematic arrival in Ukraine of children from the Russian provinces, as a result of which the orphanages of the USSR were overcrowded, and the level of their provision with food and industrial goods was characterized by poverty.In 1921–1923, the Bolshevik Communist regime deliberately created a situation in which Ukrainians died en masse from artificial starvation. However, it was noted that the government had claimed responsibility for the crime. This was probably done unknowingly, but the presence of reports describing the poverty of shelters and recording the mass mortality of children suggests that officials were aware of the causes of the famine and its nature, and knew the names of its organizers. However, a caste of communist party nomenclature had already begun to form, which, under the guise of propaganda rhetoric, sought to seize control of food resources and people. In our opinion, the aggravating factor was the fact that Bolshevik officials appointed the management of shelters not on a professional but on a class basis. In Ukraine, the mass artificial famine of 1921–1923 significantly adjusted the juvenile policy of the Soviet system. It became distorted by ideology, corruption and bureaucracy, and children were turned into zombies by communist judgments.

Historical Analysis of the Social Policy of Uzbekistan (On the Example of the Regions of the Lower Reaches of Zarafshan)

The need to form an effective social policy aimed at supporting a decent level of social security is one of the most important democratic values of developing countries. The traditional approach to social development as a consequence of economic development, Uzbekistan inherited from the former Soviet system. In the conditions of transition to market relations, new systems of norms of social interaction between the state and society were developed. There have been extremely ambiguous changes in the factors of social development. The loss of planned mechanisms has led to the introduction of new social mechanisms, including problems of unemployment, medical care, education, the fight against poverty. The article analyzes the policy of Uzbekistan in the field of social development, identifies the specifics of social development, changes in the well-being of the population of the Nizhnezeravshan region in a changing economic and social environment.

Verification of court decisions in criminal cases: history and modernity

The paper analyzes the historical retrospective and a comparative study of the verification of court decisions in criminal cases. The author traces the emergence of the idea of checking court decisions and the first experiments of its implementation, the transition from the "court with a judge" to the "audit" procedure for monitoring court decisions, and then to the consideration of complaints against court decisions as a continuation of the dispute between the parties and the formation of methods and procedures for reviewing criminal cases, depending on the subject of appeal. The features of the Romano-German and English models of judicial review are highlighted. Special attention is paid to the Soviet system of verification of sentences, rulings and definitions as the basis of the socialist model of judicial review and its subsequent transformation in Russia in the post-Soviet period. The monograph is intended for researchers, teachers, undergraduate, specialist, master's, postgraduate and doctoral students, as well as practicing lawyers.

Политика управления системой здравоохранения на территории Восточной Сибири в 1920-е годы

The author’s aim is to study the creation and reformation of the Soviet system of healthcare in the Eastern Siberia in the 1920s. The study begins with the development of Siberia from the administration of Admiral A. V. Kolchak when the Soviet government began to form its own system of region management. The Soviet medical leadership was intended to create a unified healthcare system which involved the unification of all medical organizations subordinated to various departments. Military actions did not allow to merge military and civil medical institutions

Rein Müllerson in the international law: retrospectives and prospects

This article is dedicated to reconsideration of the ideas of the prominent Soviet, Russian, Estonian and international legal expert Rein Müllerson, which he introduced to the theory and practice of international law. The relevance of this research is substantiated by the contribution made by Professor Rein Müllerson to the Soviet system, as well as the contribution he continues to make to the modern domestic, foreign, and universal doctrine of international law. In 201, the author of multiple articles and monographs that are published in different languages and countries, Professor Rein Müllerson released his summarizing work – the autobiography “Living In Interesting Times: Curse or Chance?”, which in reality is not an autobiography. This monograph, which determines the topic of this research, is dedicated to the most relevant issues of international law and international relations, which underlie the scientific reflections in the latest published work of Professor Müllerson. The goal of this article lies in the analysis of manifestation of subjective realism and new philosophy of modern international law declared in the 2021 monograph. Using such instruments of the modern researcher of international relations as liberalism and democratization, globalization and regionalization, correlating the theory built in the Soviet scientific paradigm with the practice tested in the UN structures, he brought the international law to a higher level of comprehension, as a complex system of regulators of multinational behavior. The neutral and non-politicized views of Professor Müllerso answers on the majority of modern international problems, along with his vast experience in practical implementation of legal norms, should be duly appreciated by present and future generations of researchers interested in building a new world – free from warfare and confrontations.

PATTERNS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR IN UKRAINE

The article is devoted to topical issues of consumer behavior in Ukraine. First of all it is noted that Soviet consumption habits are still affecting Ukrainian patterns of consumer behavior. Even younger population, who have never experienced Soviet system, are affected by its consumptive patterns to some extent. After USSR collapse, Ukraine started to adopt consumer behavior patterns from the civilized world, first of all the consumerism. In the same time, another global consumption trend – creative consumerism – is being actively adopted by Ukrainians, partly because such forms of such behaviour were inherited from Soviet society. Such a global pattern of consumer behavior as ethical consumption has also spread through Ukraine in forms of green, eco, responsible, conscious consumptions or even anticonsumerism. Finally, contemporary technologies along with the COVID-19 crisis impact patterns of consumer behavior in Ukraine, first of all through the increasing role of online technologies in consumer decision making, in purchasing and post-purchasing processes.

“Concepts of Konstantine Gamsakhurdia`s “Moon`s Abduction”

“Moon`s Abduction” by Konstantine Gamsakhurdia is a very important text written in the Soviet Georgia. The writer created monumental literary landscape in the period of so called “socialist realism” literary style. The novel makes a great demand on the reader`s erudition, on his capacity to understand the complex allusions, literary, philosophical and mythological, that characterize Gamsakhurdia`s prose. The present article deals with the world-outlook of Soviet and Post-Soviet literary critique – on the background of the publicistic letters of the outstanding critics Beso Zhghenti and Soso Sigua. The novel clears up the writer`s attitude to the revolution, socialism, collectivization of agriculture, person`s role as a member of society. The Soviet and Post-Soviet critics world-outlooks are absolutely different. By the Soviet critic (Beso Zhghenti) the novel is an excessive apologia of Soviet system, of Soviet state-building, a positive character (hero) is Arzakan Zvambaia, the security officer, the ossicial of Cheka, Bolshevism is better than traditional life of Georgia, civilization is better than culture. By the Post-Soviet world-outlook (Soso Sigua) the novel is a reflection of tragedy of the Georgian nation (because of negation of Georgian traditions, unique Georgian culture), a positive character is a prince Tarash Emkhvari, cultural and well-educated person; Bolshevizm is tragedy. Literary, philosophical and mythological allusions characterize Gamsakhurdias literary heritage (verses, short-stories, novels). The article deals with the world-outlook of the author. The official of Cheka Arzakan is a patricide, another official Arlan cut the centuries-old sacral tree - Bolhevizm hates roots and traditions. There are a lot of mythological characters reflected in the novel (Aramkhutu-Amirani, Sacral-tree, Mezir – Sacral serpant…). A reader feels the influence of Nitcze and Bergson world-outlook, passages from Hesiod`s “Theogony” and Appolonios from Rodoss “Argonautica.”The novel of Konstantine Gamsakhurdia is one of the best reflections and the best samples of Georgian novel of the 30s of the 20th century epoch.