Stalin Collectivization Essay

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To a great extent, Stalin used the process of collectivisation for his own political ends. Stalin used the policy of collectivisation to outmanoeuvre his political opponents and improve his public image. Stalin did this through supporting collectivisation over the failing NEP, by forcing peasant populations to come under his control when collectivisation began to fail, by moving away from it.

Firstly, Stalin used the failure of the NEP and his support of collectivisation to seize power in the Soviet Union from Bukharin. In 1926, Stalin had allied himself with Bukharin because of their mutual support of the NEP. Together, they ousted the left wing of the party Zinoviev and Kamenev. However, in 1928, the NEP was failing. A key aspect was that …show more content…

In 1929, Stalin ordered 25,000 industrial workers to “assist” in the process of collectivisation. Traditionally, the bolsheviks had seen much stronger support from the industrial worker population than from the peasant population. By sending the “socially conscious” young communists to help out on farms, Stalin sought to increase his support. This workforce eventually evolved into shock brigades in the latter part of 1930. The brigades were used to force collectivisation onto unwilling peasants. Any who refused could be designated as kulaks, saboteurs or rich farmers that were against the revolution, and were sent to forced labour camps. This removed open opposition to collectivisation, and ultimately to Stalin himself. Without any political opposition, Stalin greatly increased his own support. Collectivisation also saw the removal of private property, a key tenet of marxism-Leninism. By strongly supporting collectivisation and immediately ending private property, Stalin strengthened his support from key communist populations. Through this Stalin maintained his political support by rooting out opposition and strengthening support from other

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