The Image of Motherhood in Rabonitsa i Krest'ianka, 1922-1928

Abstract

Established in 1922, the Soviet women's journal Rabotnitsa i Krest'ianka acted as agent of the Communist Party by supporting its effort to assume the role of mothers and take full responsibility for Russia's children in state supported institutions. The journal expressed the Party's intentions through agitational articles and testimonials that appealed to mothers' emotions. By 1925, it was clear that the plan had failed. The journal then adopted a new approach encouraged mothers to take greater responsibility for their children. I will show how these changes are represented in the articles, short stories, and testimonials of journal by summarizing and analyzing several examples from the primary text.