In 1855 what percent of the population was involved in agriculture?
90% were involved and by 1964 51% still worked in the sector.
What were the key reasons for agricultural reform?
- Catching up with the west
- Increase food production to feed the increasing urban workforce.
- To further an ideology e.g Collectivization
What was the aim of the emancipation edict?
It aimed to destroy the control the landowners had over the serfs, so that they could form an urban proletariat. Alexander 11 hoped it would also address the land distribution crisis that had caused riots such as the Potato riots that attracted over 500,000 peasants.
Was the Emancipation of the serfs successful in achieving its aims?
It failed to improve the unequal process of land distribution and as a result there were several riots between 1861-64. There was little investment in new farming practices and there were no further reforms by Alexander 11.
What was Alexander 111 viewpoint on agricultural reform?
Alexander believed that the Peasants poor attitude to work was the reason for the famine of 1892 and poor food production generally.
What did Alexander 111 attempt to do to improve the peasants situation.
- He introduced land captains that were there instructed to instill discipline into the workers.
- A peasant land bank was also created in 1883 that allowed the peasants to purchase land relatively cheaply.
What tax’s were abolished by Alexander 111 and why?
Alexander 111 abolished the Salt and Poll tax in the 1880s. This was to encourage greater productivity and increase urban migration, as they would have less debt.
When was rural unrest greatest during Nicholas 11 reign?
It was greatest between 1905-07 because ‘The great spurt’ had meant economic reforms had focused on industrialization and not agriculture.
What did Nicholas do to appease the peasant’s protests?
He appointed Stolypin as Minister of agriculture who was instructed to revamp land distribution.
What was the aim of the Stolypin land reform or ‘wager on the strong’?
The aim was to use land distribution to build and strengthen the group of more able and well educated peasants. They would act as role model’s for other peasants to follow and challenge the mir’s power.
What did the ‘wager on the strong’’ do?
- Unused or poorly utilized land was made available to the Peasant land bank and could be bought on favorable terms.
- Peasants with strips (Small plots of land spread over 2/3 fields) could consolidate their land into one unit.
What were the two main reasons why the ‘wager on the strong’ was not successful ?
- The wealthier class of the peasants expanded who were meant to be loyal to the Tsar, however they were still unhappy as they could not access the most fertile land.
- By 1914 two million peasant had left the villages for the cities, leading to a limited supply of food exacerbated by World War 1.
How did the Provisional government fail to address agricultural issues?
They were unable to deal with land issues or seizures of land by peasants. There was chaos in country.
What did the Bolsheviks do as soon as they got into power?
They introduced the ‘Decree on Land’ In October 1917 which promised the peasants have rights to all land, however in reality it was state-owned.
How did War communism impact the peasants?
Peasants particular the higher class ‘Kulaks’ were forced to give away grain to stop food shortages in the city.
How did Lenin’s perception of the peasants change?
At first he thought the peasants were vital to the revolution and overthrowing the bourgeois class. However he later saw them ignorant, backward and superstitious.
Was it clear what a ‘Kulak’ was under the Communists?
The Bolsheviks were never clear with the difference between a Kulak and an ordinary peasant. However they associated the more wealthier/productive peasants with grain hoarding and therefore food shortages meaning they bore the brunt of persecution.
How were the ‘Kulaks’ treated under the Bolshevik’s?
- The Kulaks suffered higher taxes, their children were refused entry into state schools, however the kulaks were not afraid to voice their concerns. This could be why they were persecuted so much.
What is Collectivization?
Collectivization refers to the process of bringing a number of small farms units together into one big unit. All peasants working the farm would share the food and any surplus would go to the urban proletariat.
What was Lenin’s approach to collectivization?
Lenin wanted to create collectivized however he was aware of the strength of resistance from peasants. He created ‘civilized cooperatives’ a more gradual approach to collectivization.
What percent of farms were collectivized by 1924
Only 3% of farms had been collectivized.
What caused Stalin to begin mass collectivization in 1927-28?
- He wanted to create socialism in the countryside.
- He wanted to marginalize the Kulaks and move away from a more commercial agricultural sector.
Who would search the houses of suspected ‘Kulaks’ in search of hidden wealth?
- Komsomols - Member of the youth organisation known as the Young Communist League.
- Plenipotentiaries - Officials who had ‘total power’ at local level.
What were the 3 types of Kulaks and how were they treated?
- Fortunate Kulaks - Reallocated onto very infertile land and given unreasonable targets. Eventually sent to work in camps in Siberia.
- Standard Kulaks - Robbed of all wealth and then sent straight to the camps.
- Sub-kulaks - They actively opposed collectivization and were either shot or sent to a concentration camp.
