Labor Conscription

in the USSR prior to the 1950’s, a short term of compulsory labor, imposed only in exceptional cases for the completion of socially necessary projects.

During the first years of Soviet power, labor conscription was used for the most part to induce various nonworking elements of society to work. The 1922 Code of Labor Laws of the RSFSR permitted labor conscription in such circumstances as natural disasters or manpower shortages on very important state tasks. During the Great Patriotic War of 1941—45, provisions were made for labor conscription in localities under martial law to do defense-related work; to protect transportation routes, lines of communication, electric power plants and networks, and other important facilities; and to fight fires and epidemics.

Laws presently in force do not provide for labor conscription.