Today, the term "parasite" is used in a domestic, and often openly comic, context. But half a century ago, this word was practically a curse word and was used to refer to antisocial criminals. In the modern constitution of the Russian Federation, employment is defined as voluntary. But why then a significant percentage of our compatriots do not want to work honestly? Is there a fight against parasitism in Russia today and what awaits the unemployed?
Employment in the USSR
In pre-revolutionary Russia, of course, there were people who did not have a certain type of employment and who lived at the expense of their loved ones. The public was unfriendly towards them, but at the legislative level, unwillingness to work was not mentioned and punished in any way. The fight against parasitism in Russia began during the Soviet era.
Any citizen had to work for the good of his family and state and lead a “right” (by Soviet standards) and socially useful life. The 1936 Constitution of the USSR had the following wording: “Work in the USSR is a duty and a matter of honor for every capable citizen on the principle: whoever does not work does not eat.” In 1961, a decree was adopted according to which the struggle against competent persons who shy away from socially useful work should be intensified. Parasitism in Russia was determined by the following symptoms: vagrancy, begging and other parasitic lifestyles. The last definition could include all people who have not been working for more than 4 consecutive months or in total for more than a year.
How often have parasites been punished?
Article No. 209 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR provided for criminal liability for citizens who maliciously evade work. Most often, the punishment included imprisonment and correctional labor. This article frightened many citizens who did not want and did not feel the need to work. Historical cases are known when art workers who became famous in the future, at the initial stages of their careers, were specially arranged for low-paid and prestigious posts in order to avoid punishment. However, in practice, this bill was supposed to act only as a terrifying tool. The state needed citizens working for its good, and not many convicts.
There are cases when article 209 was used for political purposes. An “objectionable” person could be specifically dismissed and denied employment, and then convicted of parasitism. But against the usual "persons leading a parasitic lifestyle," high-profile trials were practically not conducted. More often than not, propaganda and warnings alone were enough to engage in socially useful work.
Unemployment in the era of perestroika
After the collapse of the USSR, the era of state monopolies gave way to a new era of capitalism. Entrepreneurship has become a popular area of ​​activity. And people who are actively seeking work have a choice: to get a job in a municipal institution or a private company. The fight against parasitism in Russia was stopped, as many large enterprises went bankrupt, and a significant percentage of the population was left without work. In 1991, a law was passed recognizing unemployment and repealing the criminal liability for parasitism. And a little later, this term completely disappeared from the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
Origin of the term
In modern Russia, the definition of "parasitism" does not have a legal decoding. Modern explanatory dictionaries give the following explanation: idleness, life at the expense of others, refusal to work, parasitism. Accordingly, parasites are those who live at the expense of others, doing nothing for their own well-being.
If we consider the term itself from a linguistic point of view, we can see that it came from the obsolete “tune” (“in the tune”, “tunne”), meaning “gratuitously”, “for nothing”. The second part of the word is a derivative of the modern verb "eat" (meaning "eat food"). We get literally "parasite" - just so, rude and unpleasant, parasitism was designated as a phenomenon and the desire of individual citizens not to work for the good of the state.
Statistical data
Before looking for an answer to the question of how to deal with parasitism and parasites in Russia, let us try to assess the magnitude of this problem. Today in our country about 48 million people are employed according to all the rules. Another 20 million prefer to work without registration, "under the contract" or receive salary in an envelope. But there are also about 18 million people whose occupation is completely difficult to determine.
Who is parasitism in Russia hindering? The fight against citizens who do not want to work is becoming an increasingly discussed topic. Why are officials so interested in what the Russians are doing? The answer is simple and simple: as long as the population hides its income from the state, a significant percentage of taxes do not go to the treasury.
St. Petersburg bill against parasitism
Last year, deputies of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg put forward a proposal to amend the legislation of our state and resume criminal liability for intentional deviation from work. How to fight parasitism in the Russian Federation officials offer? St. Petersburg deputies propose to punish persons who avoid employment (in the presence of suitable vacancies) for 6 months or longer, by corrective and forced labor for up to 1 year.
The bill is aimed primarily at those who work “under the contract”, “for themselves” or are engaged in entrepreneurial activity without registration of individual entrepreneurs. There are exceptions: pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of 14; persons under the age of majority; citizens with dependent children with disabilities or incompetent relatives and some other categories.
However, to date, this bill is being finalized, and the fight against parasitism in Russia has not yet begun. The thing is that, according to the current constitution, labor is voluntary, and any activity should be carried out by a person at his request. Accordingly, the state does not have the right to force and force the population to work.
Why do people not want to work?
What, in fact, do citizens in our country who do not have official employment? A significant percentage of the population of our country works on a “contractual” basis. Do not be surprised if, at the interview, the employer will tell you about all the intricacies of registration in his company and hint that you will not have to wait for paid sick leave and holidays (as well as compliance with other points of the Labor Code). And many applicants are satisfied with these conditions, since often in commercial companies wages are much higher than in municipal organizations.
A high percentage of freelancers, as well as persons engaged in illegal business activities. The first category includes qualified specialists working by agreement directly with the customer, and the second category includes citizens offering goods and services to the population without registration of individual entrepreneurs.
Conventionally, parasites can also be called persons living on dividends from their own investments. Someone has a substantial amount in the bank and receives interest on a monthly basis, another rents out real estate.
What does the labor exchange offer?
Not everyone knows, but “unemployed” is an official status, which can be obtained by registering with the employment center . To the question of how to deal with parasitism in Russia, this organization offers its own answer. In fact, you can always get a job, there would be a desire. Obtaining the official status of “unemployed” opens up new perspectives for a person. The employment center not only calculates benefits, but also regularly offers new vacancies. Also, with the help of the labor exchange, you can improve or change qualifications, get a new profession.
But if everything is so simple, why do people still continue to look for work on their own or choose to give up work? The thing is that the employment service often offers vacancies in municipal organizations, with low wages, and even with conditions and requirements that do not correspond to the desires and possibilities of the candidate. As for unemployment benefits, today it ranges from 800 to 5000 rubles per month.
There is no clear answer to the question of how to deal with parasitism in Russia today. It is possible that some reforms in this area are simply necessary for our state. However, this is the case when the population should be offered more opportunities, rather than burden it with unnecessary obligations by restricting freedom.