DEKULAKIZATION Meaning and
Definition
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Dekulakization, also known as the liquidation of the kulaks, refers to a process implemented by the Soviet Union in the 1930s during Joseph Stalin's rule. It involved the mass persecution, dispossession, and elimination of wealthier peasants, known as kulaks, as part of the collectivization policy in agriculture.
The term "dekulakization" stems from the Russian word "kulak," which translates to "fist" and was used to describe relatively prosperous peasants who owned small farms and employed hired laborers. Stalin considered the kulaks as a threat to the socialist system and sought to eliminate their influence, wealth, and social status.
Dekulakization involved the identification and targeting of kulaks, who were stripped of their property, land, livestock, and personal belongings. Many were forcibly relocated to remote areas, labor camps, or collective farms, while others faced imprisonment, exile, or execution. The objective was to destroy their economic power and class identity by forcibly integrating them into collective farms with the rest of the rural population, thus accelerating the process of collectivization.
The consequences of dekulakization were profound and devastating. It resulted in widespread famine, as the elimination of the kulaks disrupted agricultural productivity and led to a collapse in food production. The process also created a climate of fear and mistrust within rural communities, leading to social disintegration and the loss of experienced farmers.
Overall, dekulakization represents a dark chapter in Soviet history, characterized by coercion, violence, and the suppression of a segment of the rural population deemed as enemies of the state.
Etymology of DEKULAKIZATION
The word "dekulakization" is derived from the combination of two terms: "de-" and "kulakization".
1. "De-" is a prefix that in this context means "to remove" or "to undo". It is often used to indicate negation, reversal, or removal of something. For example, "declassify" means to remove the classification from something.
2. "Kulakization" is derived from the term "kulak". The term "kulak" originally comes from Russian and refers to a wealthy or prosperous peasant in pre-Soviet Russia. They were independent farmers who had accumulated more land, livestock, or other means of production compared to the average peasants.
During the rise of communist ideology in the Soviet Union, kulaks were viewed as a threat to collectivization and the planned economy. They were seen as individualistic and resistant to state control.
