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{{Short description|Crime of living at the expense of others}}{{For|the biology term|Parasitism#Social parasitism}}{{Multiple issues|
{{Worldwide-view|date=June 2021|2=the Soviet Union}}
{{Lead too short|date=August 2024}}
[[File:Kulak plakat.jpg|thumb|This Soviet [[propaganda]] poster encouraged [[dekulakization]], by portraying the [[Kulak|Kulaks]] as [[hoarding]]. ]]
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'''Social parasitism''' was a [[political crime]] in the [[Soviet Union]] in which the perpetrator was accused of living at the expense of other people or society. A number of Soviet intellectuals and dissidents were accused of the crime of parasitism, including [[Joseph Brodsky]], [[Iosif Begun]], [[Vladimir Voinovich]], [[Lev Kopelev]] and [[Andrei Amalrik]].<ref>[https://www.kommersant.ru/gallery/4800865#id2050473 Those who do not work must be put under arrest (Russian)], a gallery of intellectuals accused of the crime of "parasitism", [[Kommersant]]</ref>▼
'''Social parasitism''' was considered a [[political crime]] in the [[Soviet Union]], where individuals accused of living off the efforts of others or society were prosecuted. The Soviet Union, proclaiming itself a [[Socialist state|workers' state]], mandated that every capable adult engage in work until retirement, theoretically eliminating [[unemployment]].
 
== Soviet Union ==
[[File:Josef Brodsky.jpg|250px|thumb|Russian poet [[Joseph Brodsky]] (1940–1996) was sentenced in 1964 to five years of [[Penal labour|hard labor]] in [[Arkhangelsk Oblast]] for "social parasitism". In 1987 he won the [[Nobel Prize in Literature]].]]
 
In the [[Soviet Union]], which declared itself a workers' state, every adult able-bodied person was expected to work until official retirement. Thus [[unemployment]] was officially and theoretically eliminated. Those who [[refusal of work|refused to work]], study or serve in another way risked being criminally charged with ''social parasitism'' ({{lang-langx|ru|тунеядство}} ''tuneyadstvo'', [[wikt:тунеядец|тунеядцы]] [''tuneyadets/tuneyadtsy"''),<ref>[http://www.law.edu.ru/article/article.asp?articleID=185739 Questions of criminal responsibility for the parasitic way of life (Russian)], by B.G. Pavlov, ''Jurisprudence'', [[Leningrad University]]</ref> in accordance with the socialist principle "from each according to his ability, [[to each according to his contribution]]."<ref>{{cite book |last1= Gregory |first1= Paul R. |last2= Stuart |first2= Robert C. |title= Comparing Economic Systems in the Twenty-First Century|publisher= South-Western College Pub |year= 2003|isbn= 0-618-26181-8|page = 118|quote=Under socialism, each individual would be expected to contribute according to capability, and rewards would be distributed in proportion to that contribution.}}</ref>
 
On 4 May 1961 the law "On Intensification of the Struggle against Persons who avoid Socially Useful Work and lead an Anti-social Parasitic Way of Life" which criminalised parasitism entered into force.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Beerman |first1=R. |title=THE PARASITE LAW IN THE SOVIET UNION |journal=[[The British Journal of Criminology]] |date=July 1962 |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=71–80}}</ref> Those who refused to work were critiqued as "able-bodied citizens who refuse to fulfil their important constitutional duty - to perform honest work to the best of their ability".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hausmaninger |first1=Herbert |title=Soviet Parasites-Evading the Constitutional Duty to Work |journal=[[Texas International Law Journal]] |date=1985 |volume=21 |issue=3 |page=431}}</ref>
In 1961, 130,000 people were identified as leading the "[[Anti-social behaviour|anti-social]], parasitic way of life" in the [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic]].<ref>Yevgenii Zhirnov, [http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1618579 Внушить полезный страх (To inflict helpful fear)], (Russian), [[Kommersant]], 2011-04-25(retrieved December 26, 2001)</ref> Charges of parasitism were frequently applied to [[dissidents]] and [[refusenik]]s, many of whom were [[intellectual]]s. Since their writings were considered anti-establishment, the state prevented them from obtaining employment. To avoid trials for parasitism, many of them took unskilled (but not especially time-consuming) jobs (street sweepers, boiler room attendants, etc.), which allowed them to continue their other pursuits.<ref>[http://www.mhg.ru/history/14DA65B "Злоупотребления законодательством о труде"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502043018/http://www.mhg.ru/history/14DA65B |date=2015-05-02 }}, a document of the [[Moscow Helsinki Group]].</ref>▼
 
▲In 1961, 130,000 people were identified as leading the "[[Anti-social behaviour|anti-social]], parasitic way of life" in the [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic]].<ref>Yevgenii Zhirnov, [http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1618579 Внушить полезный страх (To inflict helpful fear)], (Russian), [[Kommersant]], 2011-04-25(retrieved December 26, 2001)</ref> Charges of parasitism were frequently applied to the homeless, vagrants, beggars, [[dissidents]] and [[refusenik]]s, many of whom were [[intellectual]]s. Since their writings were considered anti-establishment, the state prevented them from obtaining employment. To avoid trials for parasitism, many of them took unskilled (but not especially time-consuming) jobs (street sweepers, [[Mechanical room|boiler room]] attendants, etc.), which allowed them to continue their other pursuits.<ref>[http://www.mhg.ru/history/14DA65B "Злоупотребления законодательством о труде"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502043018/http://www.mhg.ru/history/14DA65B |date=2015-05-02 }}, a document of the [[Moscow Helsinki Group]].</ref>
 
For example, the Russian poet [[Joseph Brodsky]] was charged with social parasitism<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Remnick|first=David|title=Gulag Lite|url=http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2010/12/20/101220taco_talk_remnick?printable=true|accessdate=11 October 2011|magazine= [[The New Yorker]]|date=December 20, 2010}}</ref> by the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] authorities. A 1964 trial found that his series of odd jobs and role as a poet were not a sufficient contribution to society.
 
▲'''Social parasitism''' was a [[political crime]] in the [[Soviet Union]] in which the perpetrator was accused of living at the expense of other people or society. A number of Soviet intellectuals and dissidents were accused of the crime of parasitism, including [[Joseph Brodsky]], [[Iosif Begun]], [[Vladimir Voinovich]], [[Lev Kopelev]] and [[Andrei Amalrik]].<ref>[https://www.kommersant.ru/gallery/4800865#id2050473 Those who do not work must be put under arrest (Russian)], a gallery of intellectuals accused of the crime of "parasitism", [[Kommersant]]</ref>
 
== Belarus ==
On 2 April 2015 President [[Alexander Lukashenko]] issued a decree 'On Prevention of Social Dependency', which included a tax for those categorised "social parasites". Lukashenko said the policy was brought in to respond to the half a million citizens who refused to work. The decree said the policy's purpose was "to prevent [[freeloading]], encourage employment among able-bodied citizens, and to ensure the compliance with the constitutional obligation of the citizens to participate in the financing of state expenditures". Individuals exempt from the policy were students, minors, disabled people, retirees, prisoners, and parents with children below the age of seven or those with three or more children who were minors.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cameron |first1=J. David |last2=Gray |first2=Natallia |title=Fighting Unemployment the Soviet Way: Belarus' Law against Social Parasites |journal=Eastern European Economics |date=2019 |volume=57 |issue=6 |pages=503–523 |doi=10.1080/00128775.2019.1651653 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/00128775.2019.1651653?needAccess=true}}</ref>
Policies introduced in 2015, which observers noted as being reminiscent of Soviet-era initiatives, included a tax for those who were considered "social parasites".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/03/10/belarus-wanted-to-tax-its-unemployed-as-parasites-then-the-protests-started/|title=Belarus wanted to tax its unemployed 'parasites.' Then the protests started.|last=Erickson|first=Amanda|date=2017-03-10|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2017-09-15|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Defined as people working under 183 days in a year, and excluding [[Housewife|home-makers]] and [[Subsistence agriculture|subsistence farmers]], the deployment of the so-called parasite tax has been suspended after [[2017 Belarusian protests|protests in several major urban centers]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39221147|title=Belarus suspends 'social parasite' tax|date=2017-03-09|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-09-15|language=en-GB}}</ref>▼
 
▲Policies introduced in 2015, which observers noted as being reminiscent of Soviet-era initiatives, included a tax for those who were considered "social parasites".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/03/10/belarus-wanted-to-tax-its-unemployed-as-parasites-then-the-protests-started/|title=Belarus wanted to tax its unemployed 'parasites.' Then the protests started.|last=Erickson|first=Amanda|date=2017-03-10|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2017-09-15|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Defined as people working under 183 days in a year, and excluding [[Housewife|home-makers]] and [[Subsistence agriculture|subsistence farmers]], the deployment of the so-called parasite tax has beenwas suspended after [[2017 Belarusian protests|protests in several major urban centers]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39221147|title=Belarus suspends 'social parasite' tax|date=2017-03-09|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-09-15|language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Romania ==▼
 
▲== Romania ==
The [[CommunistNicolae Romania|communist regimeCeaușescu]], president of the [[NicolaeSocialist CeaușescuRepublic of Romania]], criminalized social parasitism by decree in 1970. The regime viewed young people as potentially destabilizing, and targeted those who did not fit into socialist norms. Citizens could be stopped if they were found on the street during hours when they should have been at work or school. Penalties were imprisonment for one to six months, or a fine of 10001,000 to 50005,000 [[Romanian leu|lei]]. Indecent or obscene gestures or words carried penalties of 20 days to three months in prison, or a fine of up to 20002,000 lei.<ref name="d">{{in lang|ro}} Roxana Tarhon, [http://stiri.tvr.ro/poli-ia-de-azi-vs-mili-ia-de-ieri-cum-aratau-i-cine-erau-cei-care-asigurau-ordinea-in-societatea-comunista_860619.html “Cum arătau și cine erau cei care asigurau ordinea în societatea comunistă”], TVR, 28 April 2020</ref>
 
A 1976 law broadened the campaign against parasitism. It stated that if someone able to work refused a job, he could be forced by court order to work for one year on construction sites, farms, in forests, or factories. The [[Militia (Romania)|Miliția]] was tasked with enforcing the measures, and its actions were often arbitrary.<ref name="d"/>
 
==See also==
* [[Coercion]]
* [[Economy of the Soviet Union]]
* [[From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs]]
* [[Refusal of work]]
* [[To each according to his contribution]]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Parasitism (Social Offense)}}
[[Category:Political slurspejoratives for people]]
[[Category:PoliticalPersecution repressionof intellectuals in the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Soviet phraseology]]
[[Category:Russian criminal law]]
[[Category:Anti-intellectualism]]
[[Category:Persecution of intellectuals]]
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