Party Membership Among Major Professional Groups
| Profession | # In Party | % of Party Membership | Approximate party Saturation % | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ------------- | 1947 | 1964 | 1947 | 1964 | 1947 | 1964 | |
| Teachers | 80,000 | 700,000 | 1.30% | 6.40% | 16.00% | 25.00% | |
| Doctors | 40,000 | 110,000 | 0.70% | 1.00% | 19.00% | 22.00% | |
| Engineers | 148,000 | 592,000 | 2.50% | 5.40% | 38.00% | 42.00% | |
| Agricultural Specialists | 24,000 | 118,000 | 0.40% | 1.10% | 19.00% | 44.00% | |
| TOTAL | 292,000 | 1,520,000 | 4.90% | 13.90% | --- | --- | |
A table showing percentages of major professional groups that held Communist Party Membership cards in 1947 and 1964.
The table above illustrates the membership numbers of the Communist Party among major Soviet professional groups. In this context, professional groups do not refer to an individual’s occupation, but rather their qualifications. This distinction matters because it was more common for administrative personnel to be party members. Many engineers, teachers, and agricultural specialists filled these administrative roles, which contributed to the high party saturation. Teachers had a lower percentage of these roles compared to engineers and agricultural specialists, explaining their lower party saturation despite their high membership rate. The rapid increase in membership among agricultural specialists between 1947 and 1964 likely reflects Khrushchev’s emphasis on building up Communist Party membership in rural areas.