1.2 Agricultural Collectivisation and its impact

Question 1

Industrial reasons for collectivisation (3)

Answer 1

• industrialisation would only be possible with an increase in agricultural productivity
• the increased population of cities due to industrialisation would need to be fed
• new industries required technology from abroad, so food was needed to export in order to get foreign exchange to pay for this

Question 2

Economic reasons for collectivisation (3)

Answer 2

• agriculture that was centred on small plots was very inefficient
• formation of collective farms with larger units would make the use of machinery more doable and cost-efficient
• use of machinery would also increase food production and reduce the amount of workers needed, releasing many workers for the growing industrial plants

Question 3

Political reasons for collectivisation (2)

Answer 3

• collectivisation would help extend socialism to the countryside, where the Party’s control was weak
• provided an opportunity of getting rid of Kulaks

Question 4

Kulaks (3)

Answer 4

• richer peasants who benefited from the NEP
• communists believed that the they hoarded food for their own consumption instead of providing it for industrial workers
• government was pressured to rid the country of this capitalist class

Question 5

Why did Stalin think collectivisation was necassary? (2)

Answer 5

• the peasants had become wary of growing too much food, knowing it would be taken by the state at a low price
• this acted as a disincentive to raise production, so collectivisation was seen as solution to increasing food production

Question 6

The process of collectivisation (5)

Answer 6

• consisted of series of phases, each more radical
• in 1927, the fifteenth party congress descided on programme of voluntary collectivisation
• but food shortages in 1928 led to forced requisitioning of grain
• organisation of collective farms ‘Kolkhoz’ were set up and promised farm machinery
• once enough peasants had signed up to kolkhoz, collectives could seize animals, grains and buildings

Question 7

Opposition of Collectivisation (3)

Answer 7

• collectivisation led to violent opposition from peasants who refused to hand over their property to state, and instead burned it
• the regime dealt with this opposition by sending in ‘dekulakisation squads’
• the OGPU, the secret police were also used to round up kulaks and other peasants who refused to co-operate and sent them to labour camps

Question 8

economic results of collectivisation (3)

Answer 8

• supply of machinery to collectives was slow, so many were without tractors
• removal of kulaks was damaging as they were often most productive farmers
• peasants who slaughtered their animals decreased number of livestock and caused shortage of meat and milk

Question 9

human results of collectivisation (4)

Answer 9

• the aim of feeding towns and red army were achieved, but only by taking much-needed supplies from the countryside
• widespread famine 1932-33
• peasants started to move to towns for food until government introduced passport system that prevented them from leaving collectives
• kulaks had been gotten rid of

Question 10

political results of collectivisation (2)

Answer 10

• imposed party control over a reluctant rural population

- mir was abolished and replaced by kolkhoz administration, headed by a party member chairman