Those who grew up during the Soviet era were taught: retirement is solely the merit of socialism, since tsarism-capitalism, by definition, cannot take care of a person. But is it?
To refuse duelists
In Russia, pensions - like many other things - were first introduced by Peter I. According to the Naval Regulations approved in 1720 for the "comfort of the supreme power", an old-age bonus could be assigned to officers of the navy. This pension was unconditional and obligatory. A little later, a cash allowance began to be paid to officers of other branches of the military. In the decree of Peter "On the pension of the former military" it was commanded: "To appoint a worthy lifelong maintenance, so as not to dishonor the honor of the uniform." In the event of the death of a pensioner, financial support was paid to the widow and other dependents. There was an exception: the families of officers who died in a duel were deprived of the right to a pension.
Pensions were paid only to the officer corps, which for the most part were of a noble family and did not live in poverty, but serf recruits after 25 years of service for the good of the Fatherland were simply sent back to the village. At the same time, the local landowner was instructed to treat the former soldier with respect and help him get a farm.
In 1851, a tsarist decree was issued prohibiting retired soldiers from settling in St. Petersburg and Moscow if they "do not have the opportunity to support themselves in positive ways." Soldiers with disabilities were assigned to monasteries for food and living. But there were also exceptions: junior ranks who distinguished themselves in military battles could be paid a solid one-time allowance, sufficient to start their own business: a trading store, an inn, a mill or a sawmill.
For blameless service
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The first well-developed Russian pension legislation appeared in 1827, during the reign of Nicholas I. According to it, all holders of class ranks received the right to pension benefits.
- Those who served the sovereign for 25 years faithfully could count on a pension in the amount of 50% of their salary, 35 years - 100%. In the event of death, the pension was retained for life for the widow, and if it was not there - for the son under 17 years old or for the daughter under 21 years old or until her marriage.
The main and unconditional condition for the appointment of a pension was "blameless service". The dismissed "under the article" for a misdemeanor lost all previous experience, and the countdown began anew - this is if the dismissed was able to get a job in the civil service after receiving a "black mark". A person convicted in a criminal case was deprived of his pension provision altogether. This also applied to political prisoners, and since only the monarch was entitled to a "pension pardon", they could not hope for any leniency. Those who left Russia for good, as well as those who took monastic vows, could not count on a pension.
Experience is the head of everything
Meanwhile, the pension system in Russia continued to develop. Pensions began to be paid to employees without ranks: teachers of educational institutions, all medical staff, and since 1913, without exception, to all employees and employees of enterprises and railways. But at the same time, the main principle remained unchanged: it relied only on those who had worked for a sufficient number of years at state enterprises - today they are called state employees.
After 1912, insurance and pension legislation in Russia was in line with the best international standards. The pension was calculated not by age, but by length of service, and an employee with a total work experience of 35 years could retire with a monthly payment of 100% of his salary. In common parlance, it was called: "came out with a full salary." 50% of the salary was due to those who worked for 25 years. I must say that the state did not waste time on trifles - those who worked for 34.5 and 24.5 years, respectively, were equated with them. Moreover, many enterprises additionally paid the so-called emergence - a departmental pension, sometimes reaching 100% of the salary, to those who, during their employment for at least 10 years, paid contributions to the mutual assistance fund. At the same time, the length of service - unlike Soviet times - did not have to be continuous:any person had the opportunity to take a break for a year or two and go on vacation, even to the countryside, even to the water. Pensions were also awarded to those who were awarded the highest state awards, for example, the Knights of St. George, and by 1917 there were about 1.5 million such people.
There were also pension benefits, they were intended for those who finished their labor activity for health reasons. With a length of service of 30 years, a disabled pensioner received a full salary, more than 20 years of service provided 2/3 of the salary, from 10 years 1/3. If the disease did not allow a person not only to work, but even to take care of himself, then the full salary was due after 20 years of work, and 1/3 of it - with at least 5 years of work experience.
Under Soviet rule
After the revolution, the Bolsheviks abolished all pensions, only a few were provided with them: from August 1918 the disabled of the Red Army, in 1923 the old Bolsheviks, in 1928 - workers in the mining and textile industries. It should be noted that the Soviet state at that time did not spend much on pensioners: in 1926-1927, the average life expectancy for men in the USSR was just over 40 years, and for women - 45.
The "Regulation on Pensions and Social Insurance Benefits" was adopted only in 1930, in 1932 the retirement age for old age was legally established: 55 for women and 60 for men. Since 1937, pensions began to be paid to all city workers and employees, invalids of the Civil War, and then the Patriotic War. True, the state did not particularly care about the heroes - it was impossible to live on such an allowance. Until 1956, junior servicemen who became disabled were paid from 25 (III disability group) to 65 rubles (I group). Disabled family members of such disabled people were entitled to 15 to 45 rubles. And this despite the fact that the average salary in the country at that time was 1,200 rubles, and the student scholarship was 130 rubles. Collective farmers began to receive pensions only after 1956. They were all given the same amount - 120 rubles a month. This was the cost of about 4 kilograms of doctor's sausage.
Alexander GUNKOVSKY