Joke in Platonov film script

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

I am struggling with a few lines from Platonov's "Otets-Mat'", a film script that he wrote around the same time as his novel HAPPY MOSCOW, and which incorporates some of the same themes.
	Zhenya and Bezgadov are adopting an orphaned boy called Stepan.

Женя (снимая синий плащ): Ну, вот у нас с тобой сразу готовый сын, сразу эпоха освоения.
Безгадов издает икающий звук. Ссаживает Степана с рук. Отряхивается.
— Лучше б сначала было строительство — тяжелое, потом легкое, потом уж освоение.
Степан: Мама! Довольно вам глупости говорить, а то я вас брошу.

The joke here is to do with the different "epochs" of the construction of socialism.  1929-31, for example, was called эпохой реконструкции.  

My first question: Did the  эпоха освоения follow immediately after this, or was there another epoch in between?

Secondly and more important: Can anyone suggest any translation other than "the epoch of exploitation"?  (It is hard to get the joke to work with this translation!)

All the best,

Robert

Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD

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