Use of the Method of Concrete Sociology to Study the Work of Deputies

The role and significance of the work of deputies to local Soviets are increasing under present conditions. As a consequence, there is definite interest in questions pertaining to the amount of time needed to perform duties as a deputy, whether this coincides with working time and to what degree, whether the time expended upon functions as a deputy is used most rationally, how effective the deputy's activity is, and whether it is affected by his education, age, occupation, sex, party affiliation, etc., which factors promote, and which hinder, the deputies' work, and how the training of deputies, exchange of experience, etc., should be organized so as to take their own desires into consideration to a maximum degree. These and other questions were posed in the course of an investigation conducted by personnel of the Law Sector of the Institute of Economics of the Estonian SSR, the Department of CPSU History of Tartu University, and the Computer Center of Tartu University. The study was conducted with the aid of an appropriate questionnaire and subsequent processing of the materials obtained on a "Ural-4" computer. The questionnaire data were obtained directly from the deputies. Certain generalizations on the work of deputies to the local Soviets may be made by means of these data.