The Bulgarian Socialist Reproductive Policies – Structures, Persons, Strategies

Abstract

The paper sets out to explore the contradictory Bulgarian socialist reproductive policies, the inequalities (gender, ethnic and religious, in terms on capacity to work and productivity), that lay behind the frame of a needs-based health system. It is based on the example of a key figure of Bulgarian socialist political life and health system – Dr Vladimir Kalaydzhiev (1921-2009). Dr Kalaydhziev’s rich activity in leading positions allows deeper insights into the Bulgarian public health administration, the changing processes of policy making, decision taking and hierarchies in the Bulgarian Communist Party. As a high-ranking party and state official, Kalaydzhiev had close contacts within the Soviet bloc, and extensive cooperation with the international organizations in which Bulgaria was represented, such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, and various institutions from Western Europe and the then so-called "Third World". This provides an opportunity to discuss Bulgarian reproductive policies as part of global policies.