|
Soviet Union [USSR] Youth Organizations
To instill communist values into the younger generation, the
CPSU employed a system of nationwide youth organizations: the Young
Octobrists, the Pioneers, and the
Komsomol (see Glossary). Of the
three organizations, the Komsomol was, in the late 1980s, by far
the largest and most active organization, with over 40 million
members ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-eight. The
Komsomol's structure mirrored the party's structure, from its
primary units in schools and workplaces to its first secretary. The
congress of the Komsomol met every five years and elected a central
committee, which in turn elected a bureau and secretariat to direct
the organization's day-to-day affairs between central committee
meetings. Komsomol members were encouraged to take part in
political activities of the CPSU and to assist in industrial
projects and harvesting. Most important, its members received
preference for entry into higher education, employment, and the
CPSU.
The other two youth groups, the Young Octobrists and the
Pioneers, were organizations devoted to the political
indoctrination of children through age fifteen. The Young
Octobrists prepared children ages six to nine for entry into the
Pioneers, which in turn prepared them for entry into the Komsomol
beginning at age fourteen.
Data as of May 1989
|
