Transformation of family and marriage relations in the Russian rural area during the “Thaw” period
Mikhail S. Chirkov, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor
Samara National Research University, Samara, Russia, mich.chirk@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6259-2417
Abstract
The article identifies the main trends in family and marriage relations in the Russian rural area during the first half of the 1950s and early 1960s. It is noted that the “Thaw” period marked a turning point in Russia’s socio-demographic development. The traditional peasant family began to transform in rural areas. In particular, using the example of the Kuibyshev region, the following trends were identified: fewer marriages and more concubinage. Single-parent households and single mothers were no longer considered abnormal. Against the background of urban migration, the number of families created in rural areas was decreasing. Compared to the beginning of the 20th century, the age of marriage increased (up to 20—24 years), as well as the number of divorces. The main type of family structure was the nuclear family with 1—3 children. During the “Thaw” period, the extended family continued to exist in industrialized settlements due to their rapid development and overpopulation.
Keywords
Russian village, demographics, family relations, marriage, divorce, migration, nuclear family, Kuibyshev region.
For citation:
Chirkov M. S. Transformation of family and marriage relations in the Russian rural area during the “Thaw” period. Vestnik of Orenburg State Pedagogical University. Electronic Scientific Journal, 2025, no. 4 (56), pp. 271—282. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32516/2303-9922.2025.56.17.
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