Explain any three features of Stalin's collectivization Programme for peasants in Russia.

After the death of the Lenin, Stalin ruled who introduced various measures. The three features of Stalin’s Collectivization Programme for peasants in Russia were:

• As the prices of the grains were fixed, peasants refused to sell grains at those prices. Also, there was a shortage of grains in Soviet Russia. There was a rumour that rich peasants and traders were storing grains to sell at higher prices later, Stalin decided to investigate and to confiscate the stored supplies.

• There was a shortage of grains because of the small land holdings. According to this programme, it was decided to search for Kulaks (a term used for well to do peasants) and remove them and to collectivise farms. For this, members of the party went to the grain producing areas and supervised grain collections. They decided that small landholdings could not be modernised, so they took away these lands and established large farms controlled by the state along with eliminating Kulaks.

• Peasants were forced to work on collective farms (Kolkhoz), and for this, the land was taken over by Stalin’s government and ownership of collective farms was implemented. Peasants were against this measure because the profit was shared; the number of cattle fell by 1/3rd, and when allowed independent cultivation those cultivators were treated badly. People who were against such measure were punished and even deported and exiled.

NOTE - Deported – Forcibly removed from one’s own country.

Exiled – Forced to live away from one’s own country.