russian gulag
The “GULAG” is the acronym used for the Soviet bureaucratic institution, (Glavnoe Upravlenie ispravitel’no-trudovykh LAGerei) Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps, which operated in the Soviet system as labor camps in the Stalin era from 1920s to 1960s(. GULAGS were specific labor, criminal, political camps for men, women, and children with the principle of correction by forced labor. Considered as a crime against humanity, the causes that rose behind these camps and their impacts on various aspects on Soviet Union and Soviet people will be examined.
During 1917-1960, the Communist Party leaders and Soviet government considered that in order to secure the political stability and to conserve and strengthen positions of their social status, they needed working class, which must be kept under control. The GULAG Camp system was the best option. Lenin initiated the GULAG Concentration Camps after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and they grew tremendously during Stalin’s era. The system used to isolate people that were against government and the system, who were socially dangerous, disobedient, suspicious or untrustworthy, thoughts that were preventing the dictatorship of the government. The GULAG, which is called “Correction By Forced Labor”, became a cheap labor force formed by prisoners. The economic system needs were responsible for GULAG formation that possessed both punitive and economic functions for Russian industry. The use of GULAG cheap physical labor in remote areas of the country made a significant contribution to the industry.
Initiated by Lenin shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 the GULAG expanded widely during Stalin’s era. Between 1931 and 1932 the Gulag had almost 200.000 prisoners in the labor camps; during 1935 nearly 800.000. Between 1937 and 1938 100.000 people got arrested and the number of prisoners increased. During the Second World War, Soviet archives noted that the population of camps has reached 1.6
During 1917-1960, the Communist Party leaders and Soviet government considered that in order to secure the political stability and to conserve and strengthen positions of their social status, they needed working class, which must be kept under control. The GULAG Camp system was the best option. Lenin initiated the GULAG Concentration Camps after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and they grew tremendously during Stalin’s era. The system used to isolate people that were against government and the system, who were socially dangerous, disobedient, suspicious or untrustworthy, thoughts that were preventing the dictatorship of the government. The GULAG, which is called “Correction By Forced Labor”, became a cheap labor force formed by prisoners. The economic system needs were responsible for GULAG formation that possessed both punitive and economic functions for Russian industry. The use of GULAG cheap physical labor in remote areas of the country made a significant contribution to the industry.
Initiated by Lenin shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 the GULAG expanded widely during Stalin’s era. Between 1931 and 1932 the Gulag had almost 200.000 prisoners in the labor camps; during 1935 nearly 800.000. Between 1937 and 1938 100.000 people got arrested and the number of prisoners increased. During the Second World War, Soviet archives noted that the population of camps has reached 1.6