The Health of the People: The Greatest Asset of the Soviet State
The health of the people is the most valuable asset of the Soviet state, which is why special attention is given to the organization of leisure for workers in our country.
In the early years of Soviet power, V.I. Lenin signed the decree “On Rest Houses” (1921), which mandated the establishment of facilities where workers and employees could restore their strength and energy during vacations in the most favorable natural and climatic conditions. This decree served as a catalyst for the development of a network of health institutions across the country.
By 1979, 8.8 million people were treated and rested in sanatoriums, rest houses, tourist bases, and pioneer camps throughout the republic. Additionally, 27.6 million people participated in excursions.
With the growth of the population’s prosperity, increased leisure time, and longer annual vacations, the network of recreational facilities continues to expand, and the forms of leisure are becoming more diverse.
The “Main Directions of Economic and Social Development of the USSR for 1981-1985 and until 1990” outlined the following tasks for the health of workers: “To develop and improve the organization of leisure and tourism in every possible way. To expand opportunities for joint leisure and treatment for parents with children. To enhance excursion services. To further develop resorts and tourist bases.”
Fundamental changes in all areas of life in the country lead to significant transformations in the realm of leisure. Special attention is given to types of recreational activities that not only help restore strength but also satisfy various needs related to the harmonious, spiritual, and physical development of individuals.
Due to the deteriorating environment in modern large cities, caused by high population and industrial concentration, air and water pollution, and the fast-paced urban lifestyle, the demand for spending vacations in nature is increasing each year.
A person living in a city is becoming increasingly distanced from the natural environment to which they have adapted over thousands of years. In an artificial environment, the human body finds it harder to adapt to the rapidly changing conditions. Blood circulation worsens, oxygen consumption by tissues decreases, and hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) can occur. As a result of constant exposure to warm indoor environments, city dwellers struggle to cope with the cold and often catch colds. Monotonous physical exertion at work leads to chronic fatigue.
The nature of workers’ leisure largely depends on the level of societal development. In our country, leisure is a mass phenomenon. At the same time, leisure is an individual experience, and the need for it is determined by each person’s inclinations based on age, education, social group affiliation, geographical location, and health status.
Scientists from the A.N. Marzeev Institute of General and Communal Hygiene (KNIIOKGH) studied the population’s need for various types of leisure in the Ukrainian SSR. They sought to understand how many people require sanatorium treatment and what kind specifically. Where do they prefer to relax: by the sea, in the mountains, by a lake, or by a river? How do they wish to spend their free time: traveling to explore cultural, historical, and architectural landmarks; hunting or fishing; or engaging in sports? A survey containing these questions was distributed across various cities and villages in Ukraine.
Out of 13,000 people who participated in the survey, about 90% expressed a preference for organized leisure both in cities and in rural areas. The population considers seaside locations and areas bordering rivers or lakes as the most desirable for relaxation. Older individuals prefer to rest in non-resort areas, in quiet places. Most people aged 40-59 seek to spend their leisure time in resort areas, while the mountains attract the youth. The steppe landscape is not popular among vacationers. The most sought-after destinations are Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus.
In our country, every working person has 1,100 to 1,500 hours of free time each year, of which 1/6 is allocated to annual vacations, 1/3 is free time after the workday, and 1/2 consists of weekends. Therefore, leisure can be daily, weekly (periodic), or annual.