Using a wide range of archival documents and other sources, the article discusses the problem of relations between the authorities and the population, in particular the female population, which acquired special urgency and relevance in the second half of the 1940s — 1950s. The cardinal changes taking place in the USSR and the CPSU served as an impetus for the revival and democratization of social and political life. On the basis of documentary sources, the author shows the real hardship of living conditions of women and their families in the post-war period, as well as a new system of relations between the population and the authorities. On the example of one of the regions of the Soviet country — Bashkiria, the article examines the types and forms of communication between the population and the authorities. The author comes to the conclusion about the increased participation of the women’s community in defending their rights before government bodies and party committees. Attention is drawn to the persistent actions of such categories as front-line soldiers who returned from the front, mothers of many children, widows of military servicemen who died in the war, village women and workers. The author shows the changes in the nature and content of the problems that they posed to local authorities, and if they were unable to solve the problems, they turned to the highest authorities, to the leaders of the party and the country through various means of communication. The study of the social activity of the population in the period under review, using the example of the women’s community in a specific region of the Soviet country — Bashkiria, made it possible to identify new trends in the relations between the authorities and women. The author formulated changes in the types and forms, nature, content of appeals “to the authorities”. These findings show the real public attitude towards the authorities. The author makes a conclusion about the degree of perception by higher and local governments of new mindsets in the female environment and the significant energy of creative activity inherent in Russian women in the 1950s.
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