Collectivisation Flashcards
How was encouraging socialism a reason to collectivise?
- From a Bolshevik point of view, Lenin’s NEP had brought Russia further away from socialism - had encouraged private markets, private enterprise and NEP men. The peasantry who were still around 80% of the population showed no interests in socialism and were only focused on feeding themselves and making small profit
- Collectivisation would teach peasants to be good socialists as they would live in socialist ‘agrotowns’ where they’d learn to work together and live communally
How was consolidating power a reason to collectivise?
- Attacking a policy that more right wing members favoured he’d be able to gain support of the rest of the party and eliminate rivals. At the 1929 party congress he deafeated Bukharin’s policy of carrying on the NEP with the support of pro-Stalin supporters and the left wing of the party. This cemented Stalin’s leadership and have him an excuse to expel Bukharin
- Stalin needed to prove himself as the rightful successor and equal of Lenin - making such radical economic changes shifting Russia towards communism would establish him as an important historic leader
How was industrialisation a reason to collectivise?
- Russia had a war scare in 1927 with the West - to be able to fight a modern war the country must have a good industry to be able to mass produce weapons and munitions
- Bolsheviks believed that socialism could only be created in an industrialised state where most of the population were workers - currently only 20% of the population
Comparative judgement: promoting socialism was dependent upon industrialisation
How was increasing agricultural efficiency a reason to collectivise?
- Agriculture was still very backwards with traditional methods being used e.g. in 1927 over 5mil inefficient wooden ploughs were still being used
- If farming was more efficient more food could be produced which the gov could sell for profit on international markets
- If agriculture methods were improved less people would be needed to work on farms thus freeing up labour for factories
Comparative judgement: Industrialisation and promoting socialism was dependent upon improving agricultural efficiency
How was increasing grain production a reason to collectivise?
- In 1913, Russia exported 12 mil tonnes of grain, under the NEP this never exceeded 3 mil which had a devestating impact on foreign trade - this meant the USSR could not buy the technology and machinery needed for industrialisation
- The urban workers were hungry due to the lack of grain in cities - many saw collectivisation as a way out of poverty
Comparative judgement:
- increasing grain production allowed industrialisation
- increasing grain production was helped by improving agricultural efficiency
How was ending the grain procurement crisis a reason to collectivise?
(Limiting the power of the peasantry)
- Poor harvests from 1927 onwards forced the prices of grain up. Kulaks started to hold back grain and not sell it in order to raise prices further. This was known as the Grain Procurement Crisis but Stalin called it the Kulak Grain Strike to excuse attacking the kulaks and seizing grain
- The Kulak Grain Strike showed that the peasants could effectively hold the gov to ransom and slow down the process of industrialisation - their power needed to be reduced
Comparative Judgement: Handling the grain procurement crisis would help Stalin consolidate his power - used the Kulak Grain Strike to criticise the NEP and so undermine Bukharin and the right wing of the party
How was improving standard of living a reason to industrialise?
- Stalin wanted to catch up with the West not just militarly but in terms of the standard of living they enjoyed which would show Communism in a good light both nationally and to other countries
- By 1928, real wages had only just passed pre-war level which still were still insufficient. There was high unemployment and homelessness especially among women and living conditions were terrible - not the ‘worker’s paradise’ promised
Comparative judgement:
- improving standard of living was dependent upon industrialisation and increasing grain
- improving standard of living would promote socialism
What were Stalin’s economic, political, and ideological aims in collectivisation?
ECONOMIC: Making agriculture more efficient, increasing grain production to sell more oversees and get foreign currency, increase standard of living for workers
POLITICAL: Defeat Bukharin and become undisputed leader, demonstrate strong leadership and increase popularity, get control over peasantry
IDEOLOGICAL: Collectivisation is essential for socialism to be embraced
How was collectivisation politically successful?
- Many party members supported Stalin and blamed kulaks and peasant saboteurs for Russia’s problems
- The chaos united the party under Stalin as leader
- The left wing saw Stalin’s treatment of the peasantry as a heroic turn bringing Russia closer to communist practices
- Law of Seven-Eights - made not handing over your grain seen as stealing ‘socialised property’ and punishable by 10 years imprisonment
How was collectivisation politically unsuccessful?
In 1929-1931 peasants burnt crops/ barns and killed their animals - Stalin failed in increasing support
CONSENUS: Control enforced by use of terror made peasant discontent a minimal threat
How was collectivisation economically successful?
- Amount of grain procured by state increased by 12 million tonnes between 1928-1933
- Grain exports rose for 0.03mil to 5mil tonnes from 1928-31
- Number of pigs increased by 70 million
How was collectivisation economically unsuccessful?
- Poor planning of MTSs meant that benefits did not really begin until 1931
- Most farms weren’t able to acquire new machinery as the gov kept prices of tractors high as they thought it would make the peasants produce more grain
CONSENSUS: Lack rapidity but successful in long term
How was collectivisation socially successful?
- 1930 introduction of private plots of 1 acre lessoned some discontent regarding land hunger - a long term issue
- People in collective farms enjoyed electricity by 1941 as well as schools which improved literacy rates, sanatoriums for healthcare, and creches which allowed women to work on the collective farm
How was collectivisation socially unsuccessful?
- 9.5mil exiled as a part of dekulakisation many of these peasants were the hardest working which lead to a failure to raise agricultural production - 1933 harvest was 9mil tonnes less than 1926
- Rapidity of urbanisation (50% of population were working class by 1939) lead to poor living conditions - amount of meat consumed by urban workers fell by 2/3
Social benefits lacked profundity as they were not enjoyed by all social groups and were short lived due to the famine
