the famine of 1932–1934; the success of collectivisation Key Terms

Five Year Plans

A series of nationwide centralized economic plans in the Soviet Union aimed at rapid industrialization and collectivization.

Famine

A severe shortage of food resulting in widespread hunger, particularly the famine in the Soviet Union from 1932 to 1934.

Grain Requisition

The policy of the Soviet government to collect grain from peasants to meet state quotas, often leading to severe shortages for local populations.

Kulaks

Wealthier peasants in the Soviet Union who were targeted during collectivisation as class enemies, often facing persecution and dispossession.

Kulaks

Wealthy peasants in the Soviet Union who were targeted during collectivisation for their perceived resistance to state policies.

Dekulakisation

The campaign of political repression against the kulaks, which involved confiscation of their land and property, and often led to deportation or execution.