Question

Who were Kulaks?

Answer 1

Kulaks are the name for well-to-do peasants in the former Soviet Union. In the former Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, the definition of Kulaks varied: peasants having land around 5 or 6 acres more than the neighbours, or peasants with a couple of cows more than their neighbours were named as Kulaks.

Collectivisation – Joseph Stalin

• In order to meet the shortfall in the supply of grains, Stalin imposed the programme of Collectivisation.
• All peasants were forced to cultivate in collective farms known as kolkhoz, from 1929.
• Kolkoz profits were shared.
• However it did not help in increasing the production, those who resisted were exiled or deported.

Reasons for Implementing Collectivisation

• The Soviet Government fixed the prices of the grains that were sold.
• The government buyers were unable to purchase the grains at these prices, since the peasants refused to sell them at the prices imposed on them.
• This created the problem of grain supplies. Hence Stalin wanted to confiscate the supplies.
• In 1928, the party members raided the Kulaks and enforced grain collections.
• Despite all these actions, there was shortage of grain collection, so a decision was taken to collectivise farms.