The State Legal Regulation of Demographic Policy in the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s
Authors: Mun Victoria , Uryvaev Alexey 
Published: February 2025

Introduction: the 1920s and 1930s in the Soviet Union were marked by drastic changes in various social institutions, including demographic policy. After the overthrow of the old ways and the establishment of egalitarian principles, the Soviet government began a radical reassessment and transformation of family law. During this period, a number of measures were implemented aimed at regulating demographic processes, including population growth, migration and family planning. These measures were shaped by the ideological and economic imperatives of the Soviet state, which sought to create a socialist society and accelerate industrialization. The state-legal regulation of demographic policy in the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s was characterized by a complex interaction of factors, including the legacy of the Russian Empire, the influence of Marxist-Leninist ideology and the pragmatic needs of the Soviet economy. The Soviet government, through a combination of legislative acts, administrative decrees and propaganda campaigns, sought to shape the demographic behavior of its citizens so that it would be more rational and effective in terms of reproductive choice. The purpose of the study is to reveal the main features of the state-legal regulation of demographic policy in the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s, including the main legislative and administrative measures taken by the Soviet government, the ideological and economic context wherein these measures were implemented, as well as the impact of this policy on the demographic development of the Soviet Union. Methods: the methods of historicism, systematics, analysis and comparative law. Results: the study analyzes the main legislative and administrative measures of state-legal regulation of demographic policy in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s. An attempt is made to comprehend the ideological and economic context wherein these measures were implemented, as well as their subsequent impact on the demographic development of the Soviet Union. Conclusions: during the period under review, the state took measures aimed at strengthening marriage as a legal institution, complicating the divorce procedure, and introducing moral norms into family relations. The interests of children and ensuring their well-being in the family were in the center of attention. However, these measures were not without contradictions. The attempts to restore traditional values in a rapidly changing society led to the fact that many citizens could not adapt to the new norms. All attempts to increase the birth rate without solving the underlying economic, political and social problems proved futile. The lack of appropriate regulatory legal acts, combined with the inconsistency of public policy with the interests of citizens, made these efforts ineffective. This flawed approach did not bring the desired demographic boost in the long run, which underscores the need for a more comprehensive and citizen-oriented strategy. Thus, the demographic policy in the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s reflected a complex and contradictory process of restructuring moral and legal norms in accordance with the new conditions of development of society.