Action Z
Encyclopedia
In Communist Czechoslovakia, Action Z was a form of unpaid labor by population, which was officially recognized as volunteer work. The work was done outside the regular work hours and was similar to subbotnik
s in the Soviet Union
.
"Z" stands for the Czech word zvelebování, "improvement", referring to improvement of public places. Typical activities ranged from garbage removal and planting trees to housing construction. Folk wit claimed that "Z" stood for zdarma, i.e., "without pay".
Actions Z were usually proclaimed by a local Národní výbor ("people's committee", elected administration). While officially it was a volunteer work, de-facto in was an obligatory, forced labor, and the works under Actions Z have eventually found their place in the state plans
.
Subbotnik
For the Jewish-identifying community, see Subbotniks.Subbotnik and voskresnik were days of volunteer work following the Bolshevik seizure of power. The tradition is continued in modern Russia and some other former Soviet Republics...
s in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
"Z" stands for the Czech word zvelebování, "improvement", referring to improvement of public places. Typical activities ranged from garbage removal and planting trees to housing construction. Folk wit claimed that "Z" stood for zdarma, i.e., "without pay".
Actions Z were usually proclaimed by a local Národní výbor ("people's committee", elected administration). While officially it was a volunteer work, de-facto in was an obligatory, forced labor, and the works under Actions Z have eventually found their place in the state plans
Planned economy
A planned economy is an economic system in which decisions regarding production and investment are embodied in a plan formulated by a central authority, usually by a government agency...
.