Physical Culture and Sport in the System of Cultural Values of the Rural Population

Research conducted by us on the structure and time budget of free time of the rural population in one of the regions of the Soviet Union revealed that physical culture and sport occupy relatively little place in the system of cultural values and social activity in rural areas. Men devote twice as much time to table games than to physical activities and sport, three times as much to reading books and pe riodicals, five times as much to listening to the radio, viewing television programs and to films. In the case of women the differences are bigger. Women devote four times as much to reading books, periodicals and papers, twice as much time to table games, they spend seven times as much listening to the radio, watching TV and going to the cinema.

Time destined by women and men for social activity, participation in amateur interest circles is almost the same as that devoted to physical culture and sport.

Simultaneously the rural population possesses considerable time reserves, used in a way that is not planned for receiving friends and paying visits to friends and other occupations. It is assumed that gradually together with the improvement of the organizational, technical and material basis of sport, time lost in an irrational manner will be reduced, while the number of hours destined for social and cultural activity will increase.

The further development of the activity of the rural population in a desirable direction can take place, provided there will be an effective manner of shaping social needs and the proper conditions for their implementation will be created.