Key Idea Stalin's economic plan called for a collective economy, a system in which the government made all economic decisions. Under this system political leaders identify the countries economic needs and determine how to fulfill them. As always, economic reforms start with agriculture. In the top left hand corner, you'll see the Russia's symbol for communism, a hammer (which represents state-controlled industrialization) and a sickle (which represents state-controlled agriculture). If Stalin wants to vastly industrialize Russia, then agricultural production must increase in order to feed all the urban workers. Through a process called collectivization, Stalin created large government-owned Collective Farms that produced agriculture for the Soviets.
Agricultural Collectivization
life in a commune (collective farm)The Russian Revolution led to the formation of large collective farms or communes. The Soviets took land from the Russian nobility and wealthy landowners and "redistributed" the land to the poor class.
Basically communes are large government-owned farms with a small, government run villages at the center. Peasants worked the land together, ate in communal dining rooms, slept in communal dormitories, raised their children in communal nurseries and communal schools. All services were provided by and controlled by the government. |
Failure of Collectivization
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