Russia- Agriculture Flashcards
1
Q
What are the trends in agricultural reforms in Russia during this time period?
A
- Many of the reforms were used alongside repression.
- Many of the reforms were very brief.
- Many of the reforms were reactionary.
2
Q
What agricultural reforms were used under Alexander II that can be seen as reprieves?
A
- The 1861 Emancipation Edict.
- Although in the short term results in unhappiness, other reforms would not have been able to happen whilst serfs were tied to the land.
- Eventually leads to: modernisation and economic improvement.
3
Q
What agricultural reforms were used under Alexander III that can be seen as reprieves?
A
- The 1883 Peasant Land Bank made it easier and cheaper for peasants to buy land.
- The poll tax was abolished in 1886.
- Overall, some nice incentives introduced, however there was still the 1891 famine.
4
Q
What did the 1883 Peasant land bank do?
A
It made it easier and cheaper for peasants to buy land.
4
Q
When was the poll tax abolished?
A
In 1886
5
Q
What agricultural reforms were used under Nicholas II that can be seen as reprieves?
A
- Stolypin’s reforms, which included making all state and crown land available to the peasant land bank. This therefore increased the amount of land under cultivation.
- Peasants could leave the Mir without permission.
- Redemption payments were abolished.
- As a result, there was a significant decline in peasant riots.
6
Q
What repressive agricultural reforms were introduced by the Tsars?
A
- Despite Alexander II introducing the 1861 Emancipation Edict , medieval farming methods like strip farming were still in place.
- The Mir replaced landlords under Alexander II.
- Alexander III introduced Land Captains in 1889 and they had a lot of control over peasants, there movement, and what they could and couldn’t farm.
7
Q
What agricultural policies did Lenin use?
A
- War Communism
- NEP
8
Q
What were the successes of Lenin’s policy of war communism?
A
- No real positive impacts on agriculture, however, War Communism allowed Russia to win the civil war as all industries were focused towards the war effort.
9
Q
What were the failures of Lenin’s policy of war communism?
A
- Grain requisitioning meant that peasants in the countryside starved, hence there was the 1921 famine, where 5 million people died.
- Food production collapsed to 48% of the 1913 productions levels.
- In 1913, 80 million tons of grain had been produced but in 1921, it was 37.6 million.
- War Communism was unhelpful for the economy, as the focus of all industries on the war meant that industries , such as consumer goods industries, were ignored.
10
Q
When was the New Economic Policy (NEP) used in Russia?
A
1921 - 1928
11
Q
Describe what the New Economic Policy (NEP) did?
A
- It introduced Capitalism into Communist Russia, which allowed peasants to sell their crops.
- Small business were also legalised and this gave rise to a wealthy Kulak class and NEPmen.
12
Q
What were the successes of the NEP?
A
- Agriculture improved to an extent and so the grain harvest rose from 37.6 million tonnes in 1921 to 56.6 million tonnes in 1923.
13
Q
What were the failures of the NEP?
A
- Farming methods didn’t become modernised and so remained backwards.
- Grain production was still below pre WW1 levels, despite having risen.
14
Q
Who introduced Collectivisation in Russia?
A
Stalin
15
Q
What agricultural policy was used by Stalin?
A
Collectivisation
16
Q
What were the successes of Collectivisation ?
A
- The building of MTS resulted in an increase in machinery in farms.
- The policy of Collectivisation contributed to Russia being able to win WW2….
- Although agricultural output initially decreased, after the first onslaught, agricultural output produced enough grain to fund 5yr plans.
17
Q
What was Collectivisation ?
A
Bringing many smaller farm units together to form bigger ones.
18
Q
What were the failures of Collectivisation ?
A
- Due to an overall decreased agricultural output, there was the worlds worst ever man-made famine between 1932 and 1934, where 10 million people died.
- There was a lot of struggle with the 1940 grain harvest.
- Russia still remained behind the West in terms of agricultural output.
- Collectivisation resulted in what was commonly seen as a 2nd serfdom.
19
Q
What were the successes of Khrushchev’s agricultural policies?
A
- Only really short term successes i.e. agricultural output increasing from 81 tonnes to 144 million tonnes from 1954 to 1958.
- The 1954 harvest was successful.
- By 1956, an extra 35.9 million hectares were cultivated, equal to the total cultivated area of Canada.
- Khrushchev raised prices for state procurements reduced the amount of food that needed to be produced, and reduced the tax on peasants, to act as invectives to peasants.
- He removed the idea that peasants without livestock had to provide the state with meat and milk.
-
20
Q
What were the failures of Khrushchev’s agricultural policies?
A
- The overuse of land resulted in reduced soil fertility and overall, very bad quality soil.
- Erosion by wind removed 13,000 square miles of topsoil from land in 1960 alone.
Khrushchev cut many corners, which resulted in slowed production.
- Famines in 1962 and 1963
- Novocherkassk riots in June 1962 due to discontent over how an increase of production quotas coincided with a nationwide increase in dairy and meat prices.
- High yields of grain did not last, so Khrischev had to import grain from the West in 1963.
- By abolishing the MTS, Khruschvev had aimed to gave farmers the ability to own their own cheaper machines. However, they had nowhere to store the machines and had no knowledge on how to service them if they broke down. As a result, a lot of machinery rotted away uselessly in the fields.
- Despite Khrushchev’s obsession with growing maize, it was not a suitable crop for Russia’s climate and hence, only 1/6 of maize planted ended up being harvested.
- Peasants spent more time working on their private plots than on state farms. So despite agricultural outpur rising, output was still below that of the West.
21
Q
When did Alexander III introduce land captains?
A
In 1889
22
Q
Despite Alexander II introducing the Emancipation Edict in 1861, what stil remained in place?
A
The medieval farming method of strip farming, so more reforms with farm equipment eveidently needed to be made
22
Q
What famine was there under Alexander III?
A
The 1891 famine, due to excessive grain exportation.
23
Despite alexander II introducing the emancipation edict in 1861, what still remained in place?
The medieval farming method of strip farming.
24
What was the purpose of land captains?
They had a lot of control over peasants, their movement, and what they could and couldn't farm.
24
How many peple died from the 1921 famine?
5 million people in the countryside
25
Did war communism mean that consumer goods were ignored?
Yes
26
What did the grain harvest rise from between 1921 and 1923?
from 37.6 million tonnes to 56.6 million tonnes
27
How many people died as a result of the man- made 1932 famine?
10 million people
28
What agricultural policy resulted in what is commonly seen as the 2nd serfdom?
Collectivisation
29
What did agricultural output rise from between 1954 and 1958?
81 tonnes to 144 million tonnes
30
When were there famines under Khrushchev?
in 1962 and 1963
31
When were the Novocherkassk riots?
In 1962, they were over rising prices
32
Why did Stalin collectivise farms?
- To achieve socialism in the countryside.
- To control and transform the backwards peasantry.
- To solve problems of food supply
- To raise revenue for industrialisation.
- To destroy political rivals.
33
Who did the Politburo see as a barrier to collectivisation?
The kulkas
34
What percentage of farms had been collectivised by Feb 1930?
60%, but this number had fallen to 20% by August
35
By 1939, what percentage of farms had become collectivised?
90%
35
By 1914, what percentage of the peasantry had left the communes to establish their own farms?
25%. This created a new class of prosper farmers
36
How many peasants migrated to East Siberia as a result of Stolypins reforms?
3 million peasants
37
How many peasant riots were there in the first 4 months following emancipation?
647, in 449 intances troops were used
38
What happened in Bezdna?
- Peasant, Anton Petrov, urged peasants to seize freedom for themselves.
- When thousands gathered to support him, the army was sent in.
- Soldiers fired repeatedly on the crowds, killing 70 people.
- Petrov was later arrested and executed.
39
Is it true that between 1929 and 1935, agricultural output was lower that it had been under 1928?
Yes. However, after it had recovered from its first onslaught, Soviet agriculture produced enough grsin to fund the ongoing 5 year plans
40
Is it true that the grain harvest of 1940 struggled to meet the level met in 1913?
Yes
41
What happened to grain production as a result of War Communsim?
In 1913, 80 million tons of grain had been produced but in 1921, it was 37.6 million.
42
