Development of the Social care policy in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (late 19th century- 1940)

• In Event: Baltic Humanitarian Cooperations and Endeavors (Late 19th Century to 1940)

Abstract

The founding of the national social policy in Baltic states and its development is a complicated topic: First, it was developed from the welfare policy by municipal and rural laws of the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Secondly, the Russian Empire followed the German Elberfeld social system, where Baltic German humanitarian voluntary organisations pioneered modern ideas. The development of social care in Europe started from the cities, that became municipalized and created special departments. Thirdly, the territories of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were multiethnic and multiconfessional. Finally, after WWI and since the Independence War, international humanitarian organizations, like the American Relief Administration, Red Cross or Swedish Rädda Barnen and the establishment of the international Save the Children fund were important factors in creating and supporting national social care institutions in the Baltic countries. The situation after WWI was well-known as a “humanitarian awakening” and understood itself as a “social justice society” because nobody was excluded from the dangers of war. Different social care organisations cooperated among three states and called this cooperation a “Baltic Andante”. Therefore, we can see not only political but also humanitarian cooperation. This all, including national traditions and historical background shaped and developed national social care in interwar times. The paper aims to research the similarities and differences in the formation of the national social care policy and the way to the welfare state in interwar times in all three Baltic countries and cooperation between them in social care policy, mutual aiding system and discussions.

Short Bio

Anastasija Smirnova is a History PhD Candidate at the University of Latvia, working on a thesis: “Social care in Latvia (end of 19th century-1940): the example of municipality of Riga”. She has been researching different history topics for more than 10 years, has around 10 academic, and 20 popular-scientific publications, participated in more than 30 international and local scientific conferences, in more than 15 summer schools, and got certificates in various courses. Her professional experiences include ex-work and internships in museums, archives, universities and different research projects in Latvia and abroad. She is an active participant in exchange studies and internships in Europe. At the moment she is working on her PhD thesis and first popular scientific monograph about the history of one of the regions in Riga- Sarkandaugava. During her studies she was awarded different scholarships for research almost every year, including The Nippon Sylff The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research in 2020 and Lena Neulands Research Scholarship of Stockholm University in 2023. Her scientific interests include social history, the history of medicine, gender studies, female agency, urban studies, the history of the welfare state, social care and humanitarianism history, the history of ideas in the late 19th-20th century.

Author

• Anastasija Smirnova, University of Latvia