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Russia Took the Boy Scouts’ Motto of ‘Be Prepared’ to a Whole New Level
The Young Pioneers promised fun, with a hefty side of ideology
If you were the parent of a Russian child during most of the 20th century, you wanted them to be a Young Pioneer, gas masks and all.
Before Red October, many Russians were in the Boy Scouts, but after, the new government wanted to create a different organization that taught the “right” kind of values.
Enter the Russian Union of the Communist Youth, or RKSM, later called Komsomol. ‘Little Octoberists’ were just kids, aged nine and younger. These children wore a star-shaped badge with a young Lenin pinned to their uniforms. They were divided into groups, each led by a Young Pioneer — a figure they were meant to look up to.¹
There was prestige in moving up — especially if your child was among the first invited to join the Young Pioneers, receiving a new pin with adult Lenin’s image, as well as the iconic red neckerchief. This honor was offered to the best third-grade students. The ‘bad’ kids could get in, too — but they had to wait until 4th grade.
