Collectivisation Flashcards
Percentage of peasants in Collectives social
70% of peasant households were in collectives in end of 1934 and 90% in 1936
Political- Party Activists
Stalin sent 25,000 urban party activists out to revolutionise the country with the help of the OGPU (Secret Police).
However they didn’t know how to run a farm leading to accidents and poorer production. Despite this they still made sure there was little rebellion and chance of a Revolution as they could watch their people ensuring greater control proving Collectivisation had transformed the state as there was more control.
Stalin Political - Dizzy with Success
. In 1930 an article apparently written by Stalin was called Dizzy with Success which emphasised the success of Collectivisation by saying targets have been achieved and people are extremely happy and proud of Collectivisation. Of course there could be some truth to do this (also truth about activists who got too competitive and carried away to see who could get most peasant households into collective farms) but as we know many targets were not met and many people were killed in accidents for example or executed or sent to the Gulag as scapegoats for the accidents (which Dizzy with Success was an attempt to decrease as Stalin feared this was going too far and going to hurt the Soviet Union).
Political- Peasant
Peasants resistance included killing their own livestock.
Bewetween 1928 and 1940 horses decreased from 32 million to 18 million
Economy- Grain
By the end of 1931 Stalin had collected 22.8 million tonnes of grain which was enough to feed the cities.
-Grain produced prior so arguably not a change
Economy and social- Famine
1932-1934 the Soviet Union was hit by famine which according to Conquest killed 7 million people.
Manmade due to peasants not working hard, poor organisation on collective farms and purging of peasants with the best farming expertise
Kolkhoz
Peasants sent to Kolkoz where peasants lived and worked together as one unit.
Kulaks-social
Kulaks (better off peasants) were either killed or sent to Gulags helping get rid of class system as everyone had to be equal.
Often just got rid of best farmers destroying best chance for most successful agriculture
% Collectives Social
By 1936, 90% of peasant households were in collective farms.
Hierarchy - Social
Still hierarchy as the party was above the people and peasants viewed this as the second serfdom.
Historians
Robert Conquest states that collectivisation was the weapon used to break peasant resistance.
Evan Mawdsley states that the rural economy did deliver what was required
Moshe Lewin believes Collectivisation created a “quicksand society” where the state was in control of everyone and all were “equal” - By Quicksand means everything got worse.
Social - Peasant efforts
Passive resistance in apathy (low enthusiasm), neglect (have little care) and petty insubordination (a bit of disobeying orders)
Peasants also burnt crops, tools and houses rather than hand them over to the state.
Harsh Winter
as in 1938 the economy faced difficulties due to harsh winter with the third five year plan.
Collectivisation impact analysis
Made agriculture work for towns and workers. Stopped economy being controlled by peasants hoarding grain and private trade. Created more party control. If anyone went hungry now it would be peasants rather than the towns.
Grain counter
1928
Grain harvest 73 million tonnes
1930
84 million tonnes of grain
1935
75 million tonnes of grain
