The word "pension" is one of the most popular in the modern world. In civilized countries, every person can count on the support of the state in his declining years. However, it wasn't always like this...

The elected received pensions

The pension system as a social institution was born quite a long time ago. Already in the Roman Empire, legionnaires were provided for ensuring a prosperous old age - due to the allotment of land seized as a result of wars transferred to the possession of each legionnaire. According to some historians, it was these pensions and other social benefits that followed them that became one of the reasons for the collapse of the Roman Empire ...

In Europe, pensions were initially viewed not as an obligation of the state, but as a royal favor for serving the throne. The pension went to a few, and, as a rule, to those who were not in poverty anyway. Age did not play any role in the appointment of royal pensions.

The first to officially introduce a solidarity state pension for all workers in 1889 was Otto von Bismarck, the German Chancellor. Notably, these pensions were based on compulsory social insurance and contributions from employers and employees.

20 years later, Great Britain and Australia picked up the baton, and the United States of America came to the state pension system only in the 30s of the twentieth century.

The state helped widows and officials

In tsarist Russia, the beginnings of the pension system appeared during the years of the reforms of Peter I. But a detailed pension legislation was adopted under Nicholas I. The first state security began to be used by military personnel and their widows, as well as officials with rank.

Subsequently, the pension system in Russia has steadily expanded to include a broad category of people who today are called "state employees". The right to pensions was given to lower employees who did not have ranks, teachers of state educational institutions, medical staff of state hospitals, engineers and craftsmen, and since 1913, workers of state enterprises and railways. True, the villagers could only rely on their savings and the help of relatives.

Under Stalin, the old people had a hard time

The Bolsheviks abolished the royal pensions in one fell swoop. The majority of Soviet workers did not receive old-age pensions for a long time - they were provided only for a small part of the population. So, in August 1918, pensions were introduced for the disabled of the Red Army, in 1923 - for the old Bolsheviks, in 1928 - for workers in the mining and textile industries, in 1937 - for all urban workers and employees.

At the same time, the maximum pension under Stalin was 300 "old" rubles per month, which was about a quarter of the average salary. Despite rising prices and wages, this maximum remained unchanged. Given that most pensioners received 40-60 rubles, it was absolutely impossible to live on that kind of money without the support of relatives.

In 1956, under the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev, a pension reform was carried out - the average size of pensions for old age was more than doubled, for disability - one and a half times. Nikita Khrushchev is usually given credit for "giving pensions to collective farmers." In fact, all collective farmers were given the same pension of 12 rubles a month, which was approximately equal to the cost of four kilograms of doctor's sausage. In 1973, pension payments were raised to 20 rubles, and in 1987 to 50 rubles. Collective farms were allowed to pay pension supplements to their pensioners.

Caste of the privileged

For former officers, the "ceiling" was twice as high as for civilians: 250 rubles a month in the army and the KGB, 220 rubles in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. At the same time, it was allowed to work without any restrictions, and military pensioners were, by the standards of that time, very wealthy people.

Personal pensions were introduced in 1923. They were received by prominent scientists, old Bolsheviks, Heroes of the Soviet Union and Socialist Labor, full holders of the Order of Glory, but above all - chiefs of various ranks.
A personal pension of federal significance was equal to 250 rubles per month, republican - 160 rubles, local - 140 rubles. In addition, such pensioners were paid one or two monthly "recovery" pensions annually.

On a global scale, pension provision now differs little from the previous one: there are those who are not in poverty at all and, on the contrary, who can barely make ends meet. Soon, they say, this
Only the facts

• 300 rubles was the personal pension of the Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU,
• 400 rubles were received by a candidate member of the Politburo,
• A member of the Politburo received 500 rubles.

The pension system existed even under tsarism. But today we want to tell you how the “fate” of pension payments developed after the revolution? And how did they build a scheme thanks to which Soviet pensioners could live carefree, and even help their children and grandchildren?

In the early years, they helped the disabled and orphans

After the revolution, the Soviet government immediately set about implementing the Leninist insurance program outlined at the VI All-Russian Conference of the RSDLP. Of course, pension insurance at that time was no longer a novelty in the country, but in tsarist Russia, workers were not paid pensions for old age and disability caused by a general illness. Their families did not receive anything even in case of loss of breadwinners.

All these gaps decided to fill the Soviet government. As early as November 1, 1917, a government message on social insurance was made public. In it, the state for the first time took upon itself the material support of the elderly, the disabled, widows and orphans. At the same time, due to the difficult economic situation, the young country was not yet able to introduce old-age pensions. There was a civil war, and in the first place it was required to provide pensions for disabled Red Army soldiers.

Under Stalin, relatives were added to the life of the elderly

When peace came and life in the country improved somewhat, in 1928 an old-age pension was introduced for workers and employees. At the same time, the lowest retirement age in the world was set: for men - 60 years, for women - 55. At the same time, the authorities have improved the provision of pensions for the disabled and families who have lost their breadwinner.

However, pensions were still very low, for example, in 1937 a disabled person of the 1st group received 65 rubles, of the 2nd group - 45 rubles, and of the 3rd group - 25 rubles. For comparison: a student scholarship in 1937 was equal to 130 rubles. per month and it was impossible to live on it without additional income

The old-age pension, judging by the sources that have come down to us, was only a little more. Even in the last years of Stalin's life (in the 1950s), their "ceiling" was 300 rubles. with an average salary of about 1200 rubles. In other words, the maximum pension was only 25% of the average salary. It is clear that it was impossible for elderly people to live on such money without the support of relatives.

Khrushchev gave pensions to collective farmers

But, finally, Stalin's times are gone and Nikita Khrushchev began to lead the Soviet state. Since then, the prosperity of the communist pension system began. In 1956, a pension reform was carried out in the USSR, which fully met the interests of the working people, and the amounts of payments for city dwellers - workers and employees - were significantly increased. In addition, for the first time pensions were introduced for collective farmers, however, they were calculated according to a separate system and were lower than those of other workers.

This system remained almost unchanged until the collapse of the USSR. Her postulates were simple, understandable and accessible to every citizen of the country of the Soviets:

• retirement age - 60 years for men and 55 years for women;
• the length of service required for granting a pension is 25 years for men and 20 years for women;
• the size of the pension - half of the average salary of the employee for the last two or any five years of working life;
• The “ceiling” of the pension is 120 rubles per month.

It is also important to note that the workers were allowed to work even after their well-deserved rest, while the pension was maintained. But it was possible to occupy a chair of a specialist and save a pension only in areas where there was a shortage of personnel, for example, in medicine.

If we talk about the size of pensions, then at first glance, they may seem small. However, we must remember that in those days the state subsidized low prices for bread, milk, utilities, public transport and movie tickets. Medical services were also provided free of charge. Since, in addition, pensioners did not have to spend money on children and acquiring durable items (furniture, televisions and refrigerators in Soviet families served for decades), they often turned out to be better off than adult children. And, of course, they helped their descendants, which had a beneficial effect on their moral well-being, and hence on their health.

On a note

There were also privileged pensioners in the USSR. They received the so-called personal pension of various values ​​- district, city, regional, republican, all-union. Its size was determined by the government. Based on some sources of those years, experts argue that the "ceiling" of such pensions, even for senior officials of the USSR, did not exceed 300 rubles.

Summary of the myth

In the USSR, collective farmers were not entitled to pensions. The myth is used to create an image of the humiliated and destitute condition of the peasantry in the USSR.

Examples of using

“A particularly hard lot fell to the peasants (collective farmers were not entitled to pensions, holidays, they did not have passports, could not leave the village without the permission of the authorities, paid land tax, etc.)”1).

"The pension system did not cover the peasants"2).

Reality

In 1935, the USSR constitution enshrined the right of all citizens of the country to pensions. There was no unified pension fund at that time, the payment of social benefits for disability and old age was assigned directly to artels, which were supposed to create a social fund3) and a mutual fund for this purpose.

Also, by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks “On Benefits for Elderly Collective Farmers and Individual Farmers” dated September 8, 1937, the farms of collective farmers and individual farmers who were unable to work due to advanced age (60 years and more) and were not having able-bodied members in the family4).

“The exemplary Charter of the agricultural artel of 1935 (Article 11) obliged the board of the collective farm, by decision of the general meeting of the members of the artel, to create a social fund to assist the disabled, the elderly, collective farmers who have temporarily lost their ability to work, needy families of military personnel, for the maintenance of kindergartens, nurseries and orphans. The fund was to be created from the harvest and livestock products received by the collective farm in an amount not exceeding 2% of the total gross output of the collective farm. The collective farm, if possible, allocated products and money to the aid fund. At their own discretion, collective farms could also establish permanent pensions for elderly collective farmers and disabled workers by monthly distribution of food, money, or accrue workdays. The size and procedure for pension provision (the retirement age and the length of service necessary to receive a pension) were determined by the general meeting of members of the artel or the meeting of authorized representatives. 5).

So, until the end of the 60s, collective farmers also received a pension, it was simply not the state that issued it, but the collective farm itself. In addition to pensions from the collective farm, specialists and invalids of the Great Patriotic War could additionally receive a state pension. “The number of such collective farmers was small. In the Vologda Oblast in 1963, there were only 8.5 thousand retired collective farmers, which was no more than 10% of the total number of elderly members of agricultural artels”6).

For workers and employees, state pensions are established in 1956 by the law on state pensions7).

With the release in 1964 of the "Law on Pensions and Allowances to Members of Collective Farms"8), the final formation of the pension system of the USSR takes place and the state fully assumes the responsibility for paying pensions. At the same time, in the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, it was specifically noted that the collective farms, at their discretion, can retain their pension payments - in addition to the state pension.

All subsequent years, there is a gradual alignment of the pension provision of collective farmers with the provision of workers and employees, thanks to the outstripping growth rates of pensions for collective farmers.

1) Lecture course on national history

2) Huseynov R. History of the Russian economy

3) Handbook of the chairman of the collective farm. Selhogiz, 1941

Examples of use: “Peasants had a particularly hard time (collective farmers were not entitled to pensions, holidays, they did not have passports, could not leave the village without the permission of the authorities, paid land tax, etc.)” (Lecture course on national history http: / /kursoviki.spb.ru/lekcii/lekcii_history.php)

“The pension system did not cover the peasants” (History of the Russian Economy. Textbook. Huseynov R. http://www.elective.ru/arts/eko01-k0177-p12229.phtml)

Reality:

In 1935, the USSR constitution enshrined the right of all citizens of the country to pensions. Creation of the pension system.

There was no unified pension fund at that time, the payment of social benefits for disability and old age was assigned directly to artels, which were supposed to create a social fund and a mutual fund for this purpose.

“The exemplary Charter of the Agricultural Artel of 1935 (Article 11) obliged the board of the collective farm, by decision of the general meeting of the members of the artel, to create a social fund to assist the disabled, the elderly, collective farmers who have temporarily lost their ability to work, needy families of military personnel, to maintain kindergartens, nurseries and orphans1. The fund was to be created from the harvest and livestock products received by the collective farm in an amount not exceeding 2% of the total gross output of the collective farm. The collective farm, if possible, allocated products and money to the aid fund. At their own discretion, collective farms could also establish permanent pensions for elderly collective farmers and disabled workers by monthly distribution of food, money, or accrue workdays. The size and procedure for pension provision (retirement age and the length of service necessary to receive a pension) were determined by the general meeting of members of the artel or the meeting of authorized representatives ”(T. M. Dimoni“ Social security of collective farmers of the European North of Russia in the second half of the 20th century ”)

So, until the end of the 60s, collective farmers also received a pension, it was simply not the state that issued it, but the collective farm itself. In addition to pensions from the collective farm, specialists, invalids of the Great Patriotic War, could additionally receive a state pension. “The number of such collective farmers was small. In the Vologda Oblast in 1963, there were only 8.5 thousand pensioners-kolkhoz workers, which was no more than 10% of the total number of elderly members of agricultural artels ”(Dimoni)

For workers and employees, state pensions were established in 1956 by the law on state pensions (Vedomosti of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 1956, No. 15, item 313.)

With the release in 1964 of the “Law on pensions and allowances for members of collective farms” (“Vedomosti of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR”, 1964, No. 29, item 340), the final formation of the pension system of the USSR takes place and the state takes full responsibility for paying pensions. At the same time, in the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, it was specifically noted that the collective farms, at their discretion, can retain their pension payments - in addition to the state pension

From the same law of July 15, 1964 (in the original version, the law has been changed several times)

Article 6. Members of collective farms have the right to an old-age pension: men - upon reaching 65 years of age and with at least 25 years of work experience; women - upon reaching the age of 60 and with at least 20 years of work experience. […] Article 8. Old-age pensions for members of collective farms are assigned in the amount of 50 percent of earnings up to 50 rubles a month and, in addition, 25 percent of the rest of the earnings. The minimum old-age pension is set at 12 rubles per month. The maximum old-age pension is set at 102 rubles per month, that is, at the level of the maximum old-age pension provided by the Law on State Pensions for workers and employees permanently residing in rural areas and associated with agriculture.

All subsequent years, there is a gradual alignment of the pension provision of collective farmers with the provision of workers and employees, thanks to the outstripping growth rates of pensions for collective farmers.

A lot has already been said about pensions in modern Russia. It must be said frankly that pensions do not correspond to the current economic situation in the country. Even at first glance, it must be said that it is barely enough to make ends meet. But of course, it is impossible to say that pensioners are dying of hunger. I know many retirees. So they all receive civil pensions ranging from 9,000 to 15,000 rubles. Where in Russia pensions of 4-5 thousand rubles do not understand. Either these pensioners do not have enough experience, or in Soviet times, they worked at a completely low wage.

However, if we talk about pensions in the USSR, it should be noted that they did not give much there either. Yes, the maximum pension was 132 rubles a month. But this is the maximum. In 1985, the average pension in the USSR was generally 72 rubles.

But the pensions of collective farmers are generally bad. So until 1964, collective farmers did not receive pensions at all, and in 1964 the authorities decided to pay pensions.

But what were these pensions?

Here is their size.

On the whole, the amount of monthly pensions paid to the collective farmers of the European North quadrupled from 1965 to 1985, while the rate of inflation was rather low. However, in the mid-1960s. the average pension was close to the minimum, and in the mid-1980s. exceeded it by almost 2 times (Table).

Average amount of monthly pensions assigned to members of collective farms under the Law on Pensions (rubles)

As you can see, the size of the average pension in 65 was 12.5 rubles, and in 70 it was only 14.1 rubles.

Well, as we understand, you don’t really roam. It's not even poverty. This is generally beyond understanding. And this despite the fact that the Soviet government did not pay wages on collective farms at all. So the collective farmers had no savings. This is almost hunger. So the talk about a retirement paradise in the USSR is just a lie.
Pensions in the USSR. Just facts.

About pensions in the USSR they write most often in two forms. In the rainbow: each Soviet pensioner received 100-120 rubles a month. In brown: Soviet pensioners lived on 10-15 rubles a month. Interestingly, both rainbows and browns are right in their own way.

Let's start with one of the grandparents:

pension in 32 rubles. Was appointed in 1975 by one of the grandmothers. Total (discontinuous) experience - a little over 11 years. Salary for the last 8 years 100-110 rubles.
pension in 45 rubles. She was appointed in 1967. This is the second grandmother. From the 1930s she worked as a typist. Salary in the last years of work 90 rubles.
pension in 60 rubles. She was appointed in 1975. Grandfather had 45 years of continuous experience (in various specialties). Pre-retirement salary - 120 rubles.
pension in 1 05 rubles. She was appointed in 1972. The second grandfather was the chief accountant.

So before us minimum pension 32 rubles, maximum - 105 rubles. That is, the average pension of grandparents is equal to the minimum wage established in the 1970s. That is 70 rubles.

But if you look separately, then the following comes out. One family had a total pension of 92 rubles (the average is 46 rubles), and the second - 150 rubles (the average is 75 rubles). These are facts from life. And now officialdom. Truthful. From a Soviet pamphlet"Pensions for workers and employees". Circulation 300 thousand copies. In general, available information.

To begin with, an explanation of where the funds for pension payments in the USSR came from. From enterprises' contributions to state social insurance.Contributions were paid without any deductions from salary.Moreover, eventhe absence of such contributions did not deprive workers and employees of the right to a pension.
Old age pension on a general basis was established when men reached the age of 60, and for women 55 years, with a total work experience of at least 25 and 20 years, respectively.
Old-age pension for part-time work was appointed to workers and employees under the following conditions:a)reaching retirement age(see above)during the working period,b)if they have worked for a total of at least five years,in)have worked for at least three years immediately prior to retirement,G)applied for a pension no later than one month from the date of termination of work. It should be noted that no supplements were added to this pension.
Preferential pensions, as well as personal ones, we will not consider here.We will also leave the history of the development of the Soviet pension system outside the scope of this note.

According to a single scale, the old-age pension on a general basis for workers and employees was calculated as follows (1980s):

History of pensions in the USSR.
In 1917, having come to power, the Bolsheviks made the tsarist pensions disappear, but were in no hurry to introduce their own. The vast majority of Soviet workers have not received old-age pensions for 20 years, collective farmers for almost 40 years.

In August 1918, pensions were introduced for the invalids of the Red Army, in 1923 for the old Bolsheviks, in 1928 for workers in the mining and textile industries, in 1937 for all urban workers and employees. At the same time, the maximum pension under Stalin was 300 "old" rubles per month (30 rubles per month after 1961).

As for the collective farmers, the Khrushchev pension reform of 1956 established for all of them the same pension of 12 rubles. per month, which was approximately equal to the cost of 4.5 kg. boiled sausage. In 1973, pension payments were raised to 20 rubles, and in 1987 - to 50 rubles. Profitable collective farms were allowed to pay pension supplements to their former collective farm members.

The "ceiling" of pensions in the USSR was 120 rubles a month. The Soviet ruble was non-convertible, but if you take the official rate of the State Bank used for foreign trade operations, and then convert dollars into modern rubles, you will get about 4,000 thousand rubles - this is much less than modern Russian pensioners have. But not everyone received the maximum (120 rubles) pension.

Personal pensions were invented by the Bolsheviks in 1923. In 1925, 1956 and 1977, the legislation was adjusted, and the personal pensions themselves were increased. In the USSR, there were three categories of personal pensioners:

1. Pensioner of allied significance.

2. A pensioner of republican significance.

3. A pensioner of local importance.

The personal pension of federal significance was equal to 250 rubles, republican - 160 rubles, local - 140 rubles. In addition, such pensioners were paid one or two monthly "recovery" pensions annually.

Full members of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR received an academic title bonus of 500 rubles. per month, corresponding members - 400 rubles. It was paid for life and added first to the salary, and then to the pension.

The personal pension of the secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU was 300 rubles. per month, a candidate member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU - 400 rubles, a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU - 500 rubles. High-ranking retirees kept state dachas and cars with drivers.

The first secretary of the regional committee, going on a personal pension, received an apartment in Moscow.

When Dzhugashvili's (Stalin's) daughter Svetlana Aliluyeva returned to the USSR from exile in 1994, she was given a personal pension, a car with a driver and coupons for Kremlin food, although she did not have not only special merits, but also the work experience prescribed by law.