The fall of socialism in the countries of Central and East Europe and the former Soviet Union has ushered in vast change. Economic privatization and withdrawal of the state from many of its former activities have especially contributed to large-scale transformation of labor and the personal lives of working people.

During socialism constant rhetoric emanating from Central and East European governments spoke of the importance of the “heroic working class.”  Perhaps because of this steady stream of dogma, many in the East Central European region today see an interest in the lives of workers as somehow indicating “Communist sympathies.”

However, an interest in workers and their lives is even more called for today. Of all the social groups caught up in the transformation of socialist society, workers are perhaps the most troubled. Their jobs have disappeared.  Their support in society has withered. Their identities are discredited.  And, above all, their health has sharply deteriorated.

This web site is concerned with the changing conditions of work in the formerly socialist lands and how this influences the physical lives of workers. Some of the issues which the site addresses include: occupational safety and health, changing demography, and sexual identities.  In terms of demography, for example, through the 1990s the developed countries of western Europe and the United States and Canada have seen increases in life expectancies of both men and women. However, between 1989 and 1994 the life expectancy of Russian men declined from 64.2 years to 57.6 while that for women from 74.6 to 71.0. In Poland, one of the region’s economic success stories, male life expectancies in 1994 were about 66 years of age, and for females about 74, down from 68 and 75 respectively.

Overall the main purpose of the site is to provide systematic information about post-socialist workers and their bodies by pointing you, the visitor, to relevant links and web pages concerned with these issues. Happy Surfing, and as you do please remember “The whole wealth of the body of the realm riseth out of the labours and works of the common people.” (Anonymous, 1535).

 East European Health Links   Other Health Links

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