Charity «Soviet Style»: Committees of Assistance to War Disabled During the 1920’s in Siberia

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the charitable activities and local bodies of the 'All-Russian Assistance Committee For the Sick, Wounded and Disabled Red Army Veterans' in the 1920’s. The peculiarities of the formation, financing and the practical charitable activity of these support committees in Siberia are analyzed on the basis of archival documents that have never previously been published. The author describes the essential characteristics and features of Soviet charity for disabled veterans and draws the conclusion that the Soviet charity model came into being mainly as a result of a state-driven initiative and remained under state control. The implementation of social support programmes was delegated from the state to local charitable organizations. At the same time these organizations worked as an additional source of financing for the welfare of disabled persons and as a result these organizations were provided with partial economic independence and the right to employ disabled people in their commercial bodies. Having officially rejected cooperation with charitable organizations, the Soviet authorities in actual fact approved the activity of social associations. However, the author sees the essence of «Charity under the governmental rule» reflected by the fact that it was reduced to a circle of people who had the right to receive social support from the state. The ones that were expelled from the social support system received only a one-off offer of support.