Emma Pak

10MN

History Mr. Harley

W0hy did Stalin introduce Collectivisation & what were its effects?
Explain the reasons why collectivisation was adoptedwhy so urgent? Collectivisation was a policy introduced by Stalin between the years of 1929-1940. It started in May 1929, with the Five Year Plan for agriculture whereby five million households were to be grouped into collective farms by 1932-33. Collectivisation was adopted in order to replace individual farms, introduce collective farms, which Stalin felt would increase the food supply for the urban cities (i.e. the workers), supply raw materials for the processing industry and increase agricultural exports. The reason for its urgency was probably the food crisis that had developed since 1927. The cities found food rationing despite the good harvests between 1925 and 1928; this was because the peasants were holding back their grain (eating it, instead of selling it) as the state didnt pay much for their grain and they couldnt buy much with the money anyway. Stalin had never approved of private agriculture, and found collectivisation the best way of dealing with it (a quote from Lenin, Small-scale production gives birth to capitalism and the bourgeoisie constantly, daily, hourly, with elemental force, and in vast proportions). Under the NEP, richer peasants AKA kulaks prospered and Stalin blamed them from hoarding grain and suppliesas a result, there was a communist political goal, which was to transfer the land from the rich kulaks, to the peasant collectives. Another reason for its urgency was Stalins desire for rapid heavy industrialisation which needed a larger amount of food from the agricultural sector to feed the ever-growing industrial work force, as well as acquire machinery imports (through exporting grain). Another point to mention was that agricultural during that time was still very backward and most farms still adhered to the traditional ways of farming. Collective farms made it easier to introduce modern machinery; it also made it easier for the state to collect the grain. Describe the key features of collectivisation The way collectivisation worked was that individual land (and labour) was to be put together with neighbouring farms to form a collective farm or kolkhoz. The idea was for the peasants to farm in the socialist way (replacing capitalist attitudes with socialist ones); whereby everyone would work together and share their earnings. They would do this by handing over their tools and animals to the farm, and the farm would be then run by a committee. Some of what the farm produced would be sold to the state (at a low price), who would then supply machinery (e.g. tractors) to help them farm more efficiently. KEY FEATURES: Stalin introduces Five Year Plan in May 1929, collectivisation. 25 million peasant farms need to be collectivised to from 240,000 collective farms.

Emma Pak

10MN

History Mr. Harley

A lot of peasants are not happy with this; they dont want to be reduced to serfdom, or, servants of the state. They hide their grain and kill their animals as a result of it. Stats: 30 million, out of 60 million cows are killed as are 16 million out of 34 million horses. Biggest opposition to collectivisation shown in Ukraine and Caucasus, big agricultural areas. These actions later result in famine (biggest one: 1932-33). There were also riots, one riot lasted five days and armoured cars were needed to suppress it. So aggressive was the opposition Stalin temporarily halted collectivisation, March 1930; he was worried that there wouldnt be any crops in the summer. Though, as soon as the harvest came in, the process started up again. At one point, Stalin sent the OGPU and requisition squads to seize the grain from the peasants. (1930). He also started dekulakisation: getting rid of the kulaks, or anyone suspected, accused, of being one. 1932-33 famine, no foreign aid received and food was still exportedestimated 13 million died.

What measures were taken to enforce the policy? Explain why there was opposition to the policy of collectivisation What were the successes of collectivisation? (pg 36-37 booklet) What were the failures of collectivisation? What was the human cost of collectivisation?