was 2.275.000 towards the beginning of 1927*). If towards autumn in 
1927 the number of unemployed had decreased a little, it is only due to 
‘some limitations in the registration of those who are looking for the first 
time for a job”**), introduced since spring 1927, in order to limit the 
influx of a new lot of unemployed from the village. 
Taking into consideration that the total number of workmen employed 
in 1926/27 in the Soviet industry (including the seasonal works) and the 
transport was 6,4 millions of people***) the number of the unemployed 
owards the beginning of the year 1927 (2,2 million) would form then 
more than 13 of the number of the employed workmen. Bolshavics 
have no illusions as regards a possibility of a struggle with this calamity 
in the nearest future. Rykow expects unemployment to diminish (by 
30 0/0) towards the end of the next five years only on the condition that 
the 7-hours working day is introduced, as it would make it possible to 
:mploy in the industry several hundred thousands of workmen, in conse- 
quence of the transition from one shift to 2 shifts and from 2 shifts 
to 3 — in some branches of production. And the “counter-theses” of the 
opposition say: “in order to keep at least the present level of the 
unemployment in towns and in the villages, a much more intense develop- 
ment of the industry than that of all the plans of the 5 years periods. 
1s necessary’ |). 
Soviet economists on the whole set a correct diagnosis of the illness. 
The main lot of the unemployed consists of unskilled workmen, migrating 
into towns from villages — where the greatest part of the rural population 
cannot find application of their labour owing to the general decline in the 
rural economy and to the pauperization of the poor peasantry, aggravated 
in spite of the agrarian revolution (and partly perhaps even owing to it). 
On the other hand, the state industry cannot develop its production with 
sufficient speed, owing to its great expenses and the shortage of capital 
and therefore cannot absorb rapidly enough the influx of the pauperized 
peasantry. 
But if the Russian workmen under Soviet rule suffer from the so-called 
‘plague of the capitalistic regime” — an expression often met in socialistic 
pamphlets — so perhaps the Soviet government provides for its unemployed 
etter than this was done in post-war times in almost every capitalistic 
country? At the International Economic Conference, which took place in 
*) Pravda, November 17th, 1927. 
**) Gindin. “The plan of the struggle with unemployment for the years 1927/28". 
Pravda, October 23th, 1927. 
***) Larin. “The social structure in U.S. S. R. towards the 10 years Jubilee of the 
October Revolution”. Pravda No. 255, November 6/7th, 1927. 
+) Pravda No. 263, November 1-th, 1921.