2- Collectivisation Flashcards
Why was there a need to make Soviet agriculture more efficient and productive
Needed food surpluses to carry out industrialisation
What is collectivisation
State ownership imposed on agricultural production that enabled mechanisation to take place on much larger units. Sweeping away the old system of small peasant farms and labourers based on the mir.
Reason for collectivisation- invasion
A fear of invasion by foreign powers had convinced many in the Communist Party that there was an urgent need to industrialise. A modern economic base was seen as essential if the Soviet Union was to defend itself against an attack. . However, industrial development would only be possible if it was supported by an increase in agricultural productivity.
Reasons for launching collectivisation- policy of industrialisation
Industrialisation would lead to an increase in the population of towns and cities, a population that would need to be fed by an increase in food surpluses. The new industries also required some technology from abroad and the Soviet Union needed food surpluses to export in order to obtain foreign exchange to pay for this. abour would be needed in the new industrial centres and this could only be achieved in the short term by the mechanisation of aqriculture to enable labourers to be realed from the countryside to work in industry. So policy of industrialisation could only be achieved if agriculture was made more efficient.
The economic case for collectivisation
Agriculture very inefficient compared with the rest of Europe. The formation of collective farms where peasants would be grouped together on larger farm units would create economies of scale. Hedgerows and boundaries could be ripped out and the resulting larger units would make the use of machinery more viable and cost-effective. The use of machinery would enable food production to be increased and reduce labour requirements.
The political case for collectivisation
Extending socialism to the countryside, ensuring survival of the Revolution. The control of the Party in the countryside was weak and its support had declined since the Tambov Rising of 1921. Land Dcree 1921, procrastination of collectivisation (by 1925 less than one percent of farmland was collectivised) so the principle of private ownership was maintained in the minds of the peasants. Collectivisation provided the opportunity for getting rid of kulaks.
What acted as a disincentive to raise production
State procurements (the amount of surplus grain given to the government by the peasants) had been falling since 1926. The peasants had become wary of growing too much food, knowing it would be seized by the state at a low price. This acted as a disincentive to raise production, as did the lack of industrial goods to buy with profit made from surplus
The implementation of collectivisation led to violent opposition from a large number of peasants, rather than hand over their property to the state,
many kulaks set fire to their farms and slaughtered their animals. Party officials were sometimes murdered on arrival in the villages.
The peasants’ oposition resulted in
a temporary backing down by Stalin. Some concessions were offeed to the peasantry, with members of the collectives allowed to have some animals and a small garden plot for their own use.
How many farms had been collectivised by 1937
. By 1937, 93 percent of peasant households had been collectivised.
The results of collectivisation
Economic terms-
results devastating. The supply of machinery to collectives was slow and many were without tractors until the mid-1930s. The removal of the kulaks was damaging as they were often the most productive farmers, it was the kulaks who many relied upon for the hire of tools. The slaughtering of animals by the kulaks had a seious effect on the numbers of livestock.
Figures to support economic consequences of collectivisation
1928-1933, the number of cattle halved and this loss was not fully recovered until 1953. so shortage of meat and milk. Grain production also fell, declining from 73.3 million tonnes 1928 to 67.6 million in 1934.
.impact on countryside worse as procurements to feed towns and Red Army and exports for foreign exchange. What did this lead to?
. THIS led to a widespread famine 1932-33. Some peasants resorted to eating their own children in order to survive. Number of famine-related deaths at four million in 1933 alone.
FIGURES
Grain harvest (million tones) 1930- 83.5, 1933- 68.4
