Agricultural Change - Collectivisation Stage 1 1929-30

Question 1

What did Stalin believe about the kulaks?

Answer 1

-believed grain procurement problems caused by kulaks
-dec 1929 Stalin announced would ‘annihilate the kulak as a class’

Question 2

How did Stalin aim to do this?

Answer 2

-red checks + army used to identify, deport or execute kulaks
-said kulaks represent 4% of peasant households

Question 3

What happened to the kulaks?

Answer 3

-15% peasant households destroyed
-C.150K richer peasants forced migrate north or east to poorer land

Question 4

How did peasants try to avoid being labelled kulaks?

Answer 4

-by burning their crops
-Killing their livestock but this only added to rural problems

Question 5

What did Stalin announce on the 30th Jan 1930?

Answer 5

-announced 25% grain farming areas be collectivised
-collectivisation hand in hand with destruction of kulaks

Question 6

What was the treatment of kulaks designed to do?

Answer 6

-frighten poorer peasants into joining ‘kolkhoz’ collectives
-this was operated by peasant families on state-owned land

Question 7

How were the peasants forced to accept this?

Answer 7

-secret police, army + party work brigades sent from cities to force peasants accept new arrangements

Question 8

What happened in March 1930?

Answer 8

-58% peasant households collectivised through force + propaganda
-Stalin accused party members being ‘dizzy with success’

Question 9

What was the impact of the speed of collectivisation?

Answer 9

-created huge hostility - brief return voluntary C permitted until after harvest collected
-but numbers immediately fell by Oct 1930 + only 20% households collectivised