Workforce Mobility in Communist Countries. Everyday Realities and Challenges in Two Totalitarian Societies: Romania and the Soviet Union
Workforce Mobility in Communist Countries. Everyday Realities and Challenges in Two Totalitarian Societies: Romania and the Soviet Union

Summary/Abstract: In this paper we analyzed the workforce mobility in two communist states: Romania and the Soviet Union. Due to the massive industrialization and urbanization processes, the number of workers and enterprises under state control will surge under the communist regime. In the early years of industrialization, the absence of skilled workforce was the reality faced by all enterprises, but particularly the new industrial centers created in that time. In this context, maintaining or attracting both skilled and unskilled workforce, was a constant task for the enterprise management, being closely supervised by local party organizations. Workforce mobility was a serious phenomenon in both countries, generating numerous difficulties within state enterprises. The frequent change of workplace was most of the times the result of precarious life or work conditions and even if some improvement is registered in time, indiscipline and the workforce fluidity continues to be a reality in both Romania and the Soviet Union.

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