Who earned the most in the USSR
Although in the Soviet Union everyone was equal, some were a bit more equal than others. Some earned more, some less. And not always a high salary was considered a sign of success in our country.
Even in the era of developed socialism, the stratification of society continued. And although the country was approaching communism by leaps and bounds, such a relic of the bourgeois system as money continued to play a significant role. And, of course, someone had more of them than others.
Nomenclature Workers
In a socialist society, the object of black, white and other envy has always been representatives of the party and state nomenclature. Nomenclature workers had good salaries, but this was not the main thing. They were not the highest paid stratum of Soviet society. The main advantage of these "celestials" was access to all kinds of material goods, inaccessible to mere mortals.
There were almost 20 million Communists in the country, but most of them did not enjoy any advantages over the non-partisan majority. But the level of the regional party committee changed everything radically. The workers of this blessed organization already had access to products that were produced on individual production lines according to a special recipe and using the best ingredients. They received company cars and cottages. True, having lost their post, they lost all privileges.
Working class
In the Soviet state, the working class, the proletariat, was considered a hegemon. The official ideology has repeatedly emphasized the key role of the proletariat in our country. Actually, that was true.
And the labor of workers, especially skilled workers, was respected and well paid. A highly qualified specialist could receive a salary more than the director of his enterprise. At the same time, he had the opportunity to free treatment, teach his children, relax in sanatoriums and rest homes, etc. By the way, if necessary, he could get free new housing, though not immediately, but after standing in line for several long years.
Those workers whose work was associated with a risk to health and even life received more than the rest. We are talking about miners, metallurgists and representatives of other high-risk professions. They could receive up to 1000 rubles a month, had longer holidays and earlier retired. True, during his seniority they managed to acquire a whole bunch of serious occupational diseases.
Another significant difference in pay was for workers who worked in the Far North or the Far East. For them, there was an increase factor of up to 50 percent.
Labor intelligentsia
Intellectuals in the USSR were treated with a slight tinge of mocking condescension. Higher education in our country was prestigious, but not profitable. After all, graduated engineers most often earned less workers. If a young worker immediately after vocational school began with a salary of 150-170 rubles, then for most experienced engineers it was a salary ceiling.
And the salaries of teachers, medical workers, kindergarten teachers, were much lower than the average. For example, a kindergarten teacher had from 70 to 90 rubles per month. A hospital nurse is about the same salary.
“Thieves” professions
As mentioned above, in the USSR there were professions where salary did not matter at all. She could even be short, but at the same time the work was considered extremely prestigious. The secret was that a number of professions provided access to scarce goods or other material goods.
For example, the position of director of the commodity base opened up serious opportunities. It was prestigious to work as a butcher in the market, a doorman in a restaurant, a long-distance sailor, a dentist or a merchandiser.
In general, the country has changed so much that all these criteria are long gone. And now the distribution of cash flows takes place according to completely different schemes.
Even in the era of developed socialism, the stratification of society continued. And although the country was approaching communism by leaps and bounds, such a relic of the bourgeois system as money continued to play a significant role. And, of course, someone had more of them than others.
Nomenclature Workers
In a socialist society, the object of black, white and other envy has always been representatives of the party and state nomenclature. Nomenclature workers had good salaries, but this was not the main thing. They were not the highest paid stratum of Soviet society. The main advantage of these "celestials" was access to all kinds of material goods, inaccessible to mere mortals.
There were almost 20 million Communists in the country, but most of them did not enjoy any advantages over the non-partisan majority. But the level of the regional party committee changed everything radically. The workers of this blessed organization already had access to products that were produced on individual production lines according to a special recipe and using the best ingredients. They received company cars and cottages. True, having lost their post, they lost all privileges.
Working class
In the Soviet state, the working class, the proletariat, was considered a hegemon. The official ideology has repeatedly emphasized the key role of the proletariat in our country. Actually, that was true.
And the labor of workers, especially skilled workers, was respected and well paid. A highly qualified specialist could receive a salary more than the director of his enterprise. At the same time, he had the opportunity to free treatment, teach his children, relax in sanatoriums and rest homes, etc. By the way, if necessary, he could get free new housing, though not immediately, but after standing in line for several long years.
Those workers whose work was associated with a risk to health and even life received more than the rest. We are talking about miners, metallurgists and representatives of other high-risk professions. They could receive up to 1000 rubles a month, had longer holidays and earlier retired. True, during his seniority they managed to acquire a whole bunch of serious occupational diseases.
Another significant difference in pay was for workers who worked in the Far North or the Far East. For them, there was an increase factor of up to 50 percent.
Labor intelligentsia
Intellectuals in the USSR were treated with a slight tinge of mocking condescension. Higher education in our country was prestigious, but not profitable. After all, graduated engineers most often earned less workers. If a young worker immediately after vocational school began with a salary of 150-170 rubles, then for most experienced engineers it was a salary ceiling.
And the salaries of teachers, medical workers, kindergarten teachers, were much lower than the average. For example, a kindergarten teacher had from 70 to 90 rubles per month. A hospital nurse is about the same salary.
“Thieves” professions
As mentioned above, in the USSR there were professions where salary did not matter at all. She could even be short, but at the same time the work was considered extremely prestigious. The secret was that a number of professions provided access to scarce goods or other material goods.
For example, the position of director of the commodity base opened up serious opportunities. It was prestigious to work as a butcher in the market, a doorman in a restaurant, a long-distance sailor, a dentist or a merchandiser.
In general, the country has changed so much that all these criteria are long gone. And now the distribution of cash flows takes place according to completely different schemes.
Information