Soviets Relax Limits on Moonlighting : But They Insist That Free-Time Work Isn’t Private Enterprise

The Supreme Soviet today passed a law allowing citizens to earn extra money by privately providing some goods, such as makeup, and services, such as car repair, that are hard to obtain on the official market.

The Tass press agency said the measure on “self-employment” will apply to virtually all Soviets. But adults who want to moonlight as taxi drivers, seamstresses or repairmen may do so only during their free time.

Virtually all adult Soviet citizens are employed by the state.

The measure, which takes effect in May, legalizes already entrenched underground “self-employment.”

The government retains the power to license independent operations and apparently will control how much a person can earn through what Ivan Gladky, head of the State Committee on Labor, insisted was not private enterprise, a concept rejected by the Soviet Communist system.

The new law allows individuals to provide legally two services currently in high demand on the illegal, or na levo market--car repair and unofficial taxi service.

Other areas of private opportunity are the manufacture of small agricultural implements, home repair and maintenance, production of makeup, photography, translation and “tourist services.”

Current Soviet law allows individuals to earn small amounts of money on the side making such items as shoes, furniture and souvenirs.

The law follows up on Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev’s effort to bolster consumer services plagued by shortages of both goods and manpower.

Even under the new law, an individual will not be allowed to hire employees.

As outlined by Gladky, the measure will allow individuals to propose a one-person operation and local authorities will decide whether the proposed article or service is needed.

Gladky said prices for the privately provided goods and services should “correspond to personal input and the principle of social justice.” This suggested the government would control prices, which on the underground market are determined by supply and demand.