Slums and Communism

Abstract

A byproduct of the October Revolution of 1917 was a new Soviet type of slum. These slums were alien both culturally and ideologically to the communist regime. Therefore the slums were denied; they did not exist in the socialist city according to politicians, urban professionals, and scholars. They formed a hidden part of rapid Soviet urbanization. The Soviet government’s concentration on industrial development caused a deficit in good housing throughout the history of the Soviet Union. Post-Soviet Russia inherited the shantytowns from the communist period and has already given rise to new ones. This chapter discusses the fascinating history of urban resilience, official slum clearance projects, and unofficial town planning practices.