HELP! modern history assessment~~ (1 Viewer)

[poorjacky]

hi guys, i just received this assessment on the National Study-Russia and the Soviet Union 1917-1945, the question is 'Assess the impact of collectivisation and dekulakisation upon the modernisation of the USSR up to 1934"

i was just wondering if anyt of you guys can give me some advises on how to approach this task, its an inclass assessment which we can prepare at home, and we have 60 minutes to write the essay up. also if anyone can give me any historiography on the topic or how to find them would be greatly appreaciated......thx

 

[RyddeckerSMP]

Well firstly you would have to go into the role and process of collectivisation itself, and the same with dekulisation. It is only after you have completed this, that you can then start to make an assessment on its impact. Here's some historiography for ya:

The Stalinist leadership, having removed all forms of serious opposition from within the Party, began a collectivisation movement which involved a “de facto declaration of war against the peasantry.” (P. Kenez, A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End). Beginning in selected regions in 1929, peasants were forced to join collectives.

In this sense, the persecution of the kulaks was an essential element in forcing the peasantry to join collective farms: “the dreadful danger of being classified as a kulak made many peasants accept the lesser evil of life in a kolkhoz.” (P. Kenez, A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End).

The Stalinist system relied heavily upon the “massive apparatus of police, labour camps and terror” in the elimination of the kulaks as a class. (D. Christian, Power and Privilege).

In this sense, collectivised agriculture obviously involved a huge decrease in productivity levels despite investment in mechanised agriculture: “agriculture was a drain on the economy because of the resources needed to obtain and maintain collective structures.” (G. Gill, 20th Century Russia).

Although agricultural production declined, the government became a successful “mobiliser of resources”: in this sense, collectivisation was successful in its key aim of providing the resources for industrialisation. (D. Christian, Power and Privilege).

This should give you a good start on your essay......

 

[poorjacky]

thanx for that, it was helpful~~~

 

[a8o]

Yeah dude, you rule. Rep.