Page:The Marriage Laws of Soviet Russia (1921).pdf/15

 The family is re-established upon the basis of actual descent. No distinction is made, either in respect to parents or children, between the rights and duties assumed in marriage and those incurred by a union outside of marriage. The cruel discriminations against "illegitimate" children are swept away in one stroke. "Children descending from parents who are not married have equal rights with those descending from parents living in registered marriage" (Section 133). This provision is made retroactive to restore their natural rights to children born out of marriage previous to the enactment of the code. "The right to establish the actual descent of a child is reserved to the interested parties, including the mother" (Section 136). The rights of children of unmarried parents are safeguarded by the provision of a special register for recording parentage in such cases. Full obligation is imposed upon the unmarried father for his equal share with the mother in the expenses connected with the gestation, delivery, and subsequent maintenance of the child (Sections 140–144).

The law at every stage gives careful attention to the protection of the children in their personal and economic rights. Parents are obliged to keep their children with them and are responsible for their care and education and their "instruction in useful activity" (Sections 154–156). Further than that, "parents are responsible for the protection of the personal interests and economic rights of their children" (Section 155). As we have seen above, disagreements in the exercise of parental authority must be referred to the local courts. In other respects, also, the children are protected from