Collectivization of Agriculture in the Soviet Union

Study Notes

Collectivization of Agriculture

Collectivization was a policy initiated by the Soviet government between 1929 and 1933 aimed at transforming traditional agriculture.
It sought to diminish the economic power of kulaks, or prosperous peasants, by forcing them to relinquish individual farms in favor of large collective farms known as kolkhozy.
The policy was part of a broader campaign for rapid industrialization of the Soviet Union.
Internal debates among Soviet leaders like Stalin, Trotsky, and Nikolay Bukharin influenced the nature and speed of collectivization.
Supporters of gradual collectivization aimed to prevent disruption in agricultural productivity, while others favored immediate collectivization to enhance efficiency and output.
A decision in December 1927 allowed voluntary participation in collectivization, but by late 1928, plans shifted to mandating that 20% of farmland be collectivized by 1933.
Forced collectivization escalated from October 1929, with the proportion of peasant households in kolkhozy rising from about 4% to 21% within months.
Intensive measures began in winter 1929-30, marked by Stalin's call to "liquidate the kulaks as a class" and firm resolutions for wide-scale collectivization.
Resistance among peasants was substantial, leading to livestock slaughtering and destruction of farm equipment to avoid joining collective farms.
By March 1930, over half of households had joined collective farms, but this led to a significant backlash and declining participation rates.
Stalin controversially shifted the blame for the turmoil to local officials in his article "Dizzy from Success," prompting many peasants to leave the kolkhozy.
Despite attempts to ease the process, recollectivization efforts resumed by fall 1930, reclaiming half of the peasants by 1931.
By 1936, nearly all peasantry had been collectivized, but millions faced deportation or removal from agriculture due to resistance.
The lack of agricultural machinery and livestock hampered productivity, contributing to a devastating famine (1932-33) that claimed millions of lives.
Ultimately, collectivization integrated agriculture into the state-controlled economy, providing the state with the necessary capital for industrialization.

Joseph Stalin

Full name: Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin; originally known as Ioseb Dzhugashvili.

Description

Explore the policy of collectivization initiated by the Soviet government between 1929 and 1933. This quiz covers key figures like Stalin and Trotsky, the economic impact on kulaks, and the debates surrounding the speed of implementation. Test your knowledge about this transformative period in Soviet agriculture.