The traditional Slovak society was established during the communist era. It focused on family as the centre of the society, and work for both partners. Most people were lead to pass through the educational system, marry and work for the country. Marriage was usually after graduation from high school, or latest after university. The first child in the family came early after the marriage. Women could stay with the child at home for a certain time period, and then they were expected to return to the labor force.
There was no unemployment in the country during the communist era. Everyone had a job, even if it was useless and the person wasted his life in the work. Employees didn’t go to work because they liked it, but because they had to. There was almost no possibility to be evaluated according to performance, so the workers didn’t care how they did their work. They always had enough time to do it their way, there was no hurry and no stress. Competition was none, as all enterprises belonged to the government.
Everyone in the country was guaranteed equal rights, but there always were those who were “more equal”. The country was thus doomed to little growth, both economic and educational. People had the tendency to accept things as they were and blame the government for everything.
They viewed employment as a place to which they have to go, but a place where they don’t want to be, because it doesn’t provide them with what they need. This was a cause for the early marriage of lots of people. In the family circle, they could express their thoughts and opinions, which was unheard of in the public. It was an escape from the oppressive society in the country.
III. Changes
Figure 2-3-1 |
After the Velvet Revolution, the country was opened up to the West, which brought in everything that wasn’t allowed to enter during the Communist era. The market opened and was virtually drowned by foreign goods and services, most of which were unavailable before. It was a shock for the people, who were used to slow life governed by the ruling party. Democracy, which became the future of the country, caught the people unprepared for a change. The country suffered from a recession, the unemployment started to rise and there was no one who knew what to do. The industry, previously owned by the state, was gradually being sold to private investors. There was a lot of corruption, starting with the bureaucrats up to the highest levels of the government.
Due to the sale of companies and factories to people who couldn’t run them or who weren’t interested in running them, many companies had to close. The unemployment rate rose each year, from zero in the communist era to almost 20% by 2001 (figure 2-3-1). The unemployment wasn’t evenly distributed, but so called “famine valleys” emerged. In some of them unemployment was reported above 30%. In the large cities, unemployment hovered at approximately 5-8%.
In the past few years, from 2002 on, the unemployment rate has been slowly falling. It fell below 17% at the beginning of 2004, which is almost the 1999 level.
Figure 2-3-2 |
Wages, on the other side, have been rising steadily. In 1988, before the revolution, the average monthly wage was 3020Sk. By the end of 2001, the value stood at 12365Sk. The rise was partially due to inflation, but also due to an improvement in the value of workers. Most of the companies now operating in Slovakia are foreign, and they brought with them their human resources policies. The Slovak workers adjusted to their needs and were rewarded accordingly.
The quality of life, which goes usually hand in hand with wages, has increased as well. Most people report that their life is better than it was 10-15 years earlier. However, the family life has deteriorated. This is mainly due to instability after the revolution and changes in Slovakia. The divorce rate has increased significantly, and more people report that they are either unhappy in their marriage, or that they have severe problems. The change reflected in overall population growth, which decreased rapidly as a result of financial and social instability. (figure 1-4-4)
