Student Question

Why did Stalin introduce collectivisation?

Quick answer:

Stalin introduced collectivization to boost agricultural productivity by consolidating individual farms into larger, mechanized units. This aimed to increase crop yields, allowing more people to shift from farming to industrial work, thus enhancing overall economic prosperity. However, the policy faced resistance from peasants, who valued their independence and traditional practices. Stalin enforced collectivization through military force and repression, believing it necessary for the Soviet Union's survival, particularly against threats like Nazi Germany in World War II.

Expert Answers

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The intention was to increase badly needed productivity. With peasants working individually on small plots of land, the tendency was to produce only enough for personal consumption. With collectivisation it was possible to introduce mechanization and increase the yield of the same amount of land. With greater agricultural yield more people could be employed in industrial production, and this would lead to greater general prosperity. The problem was that the peasants objected to collectivisation because, for one thing, it was contrary to their age-old traditions. Collectivisation took away their independence and did little to improve their standard of living. Any surplus they created was used to enhance industrialization. Stalin had to use military force and prison camps to enforce his collectivisation scheme. He was a ruthless dictator, but without him the U.S.S.R. might have been conquered by Germany in World War II.

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