Transformation of Soviet marriage and family legislation in the post-war period (1945-1960)

The study analyzes discussions surrounding 1968 amendments to the Fundamentals of Legislation of the USSR and the Union Republics on Marriage and Family, driven by post-war reconstruction needs. The study reveals law-society interaction mechanisms under centralized governance and evaluates long-term impacts on gender relations and demographic policy. Despite extensive Soviet family law scholarship, post war anti-abortion campaigns and children’s rights evolution remain underexplored. Employing historical and historical-legal methods, the research compares pre- and post-Great Patriotic War family legislation, identifying key developments in parental and child legal status. Primary sources from the State Archive of the Russian Federation (SARF) constitute the evidential base. The analysis demonstrates a systematic state strategy for family welfare (1945-1960) through operational legislative measures strengthening family ties. The 1968 Fundamentals prioritized legal status of children born out of wedlock, child-rearing conflict resolution, paternity establishment, and alimony regulations for child and spousal support. Inadequate regulation consistently violated children’s rights - a core concern of modern family law.