The level of literacy of the adult population of the Orenburg region according to the materials of the first Soviet census

This paper analyzes the evolution of literacy in different categories of the Orenburg region adult population according to the censuses in 1920, 1926 and 1939 as well as the influence of the educational policy of the Soviet state. The analysis of the census gives an opportunity to give literacy demographic characteristics: gender, age, nationality, social status, occupation, etc. The author notes that the proclamation of compulsory education principle for illiterate adults and the organization of universal education for school-age children gave an opportunity for education to all categories of the Soviet Russian population. Literacy level started to rise; it was reflected in the census. The censuses of 1926, 1939 showed that literacy level of certain age groups in different generations rose after the October revolution. The paper has a certain pattern: the older the generation age was, the higher the level of literacy was. Generalized materials of the first Soviet censuses allow us to conclude that the effect of positive and negative factors in the education of children and illiterate adults was different in urban and rural areas. As a rule, more women and men had a chance for education in urban areas. The results of the study allow us to conclude on the impact of the Soviet government activities to adult education.