Answer to Question 1
Marxist philosophy promoted urbanization and the region went from largely rural to largely urban in 50 years. Soviet planners emphasized the efficiency in clustering populations in urban areas. Industrialization in the region was also closely connected to urbanization. Cities were strictly planned by the government. Cities were designed for different purposessome for specific industries or others as administrative centers. People were prohibited from moving city to city through a system of internal passports. People were assigned to jobs in specific cities and that is what determined residence. Moscow grew and thrived under this system. Moscow became a primate city and was the educational, research, bureaucratic and media center. Cities grew rapidly in the south as well, due to the growth of metal mining and coal extraction. After the end of the Soviet Union, people were able to move freely between cities and regions and many cities were largely abandoned. Many older industrial areas have become depopulated in the new era.
Answer to Question 2
No time to do other tasks, such as employment and education; continued inequality between genders.