Foreign Capital and Labour Force in the Lower Volga Region in 1920-1930s
Abstract
The article deals with analyzing the contribution of concessioners to the recovery of national economy and social sphere of the Lower Volga region, as well as the role of foreign workers and specialists in the construction of new enterprises and the modernization of functioning ones in Stalingrad in 1920-1930s. The concessional enterprises were set up in the agricultural sector of the Lower Volga region. The concessioners introduced new farming technologies and grain varieties. However, the sustainable results in the agricultural industry of the region were not achieved. The authors analyze the labor conditions and the balance between Soviet and foreign labor force at the following agricultural concessions: “Doctor Nansen” (philanthropic), “Nemvolbank” (Soviet-German) and “Druag” (German subconcession of “Nemvolbank”). The article highlights the peculiarities of remuneration system at concessionary enterprises. The authors reveal that the social and labor relations at the concessionary enterprises were regulated according to the Soviet labor code and the wage level of the agricultural concessions’ workers was higher than at the state-owned farms. In the absence of the Soviet government support, the concessioners dealt with the problem of workers accommodation defusing thereby the housing crisis in the USSR and boosting the concessional workers living standards. Besides, the concessioners’ activity contributed to the Soviet population employment and the development of the social and cultural environment at the enterprises.
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