Date: Fri, 5 Apr 1996 09:46:20 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Collectivization in the USSR


Walter Daum wrote:

> It's often been said that Stalin stole Trotsky's *industrial* policy
> (with or without distortions). But I haven't before seen it claimed that
> Stalin's agricultural policy -- forced collectivization -- came from
> Trotsky. My recollection is that the Left Opposition in the late 20's
> (the period I assume you have in mind) stood for agricultural cooperatives
> and *promoting* collectivization.

In the industrialization debates of the late 20's, Preobrazhensky and the 
Left Opposition favored the *gradual* and *voluntary* promotion of 
agricultural collectives. It was believed, essentially, that the 
productivity of labor, through increasing economies of scale, on the 
cooperatives would be significantly higher than poor peasants could 
experience on privately-owned land. This would then mean, it was argued, 
that the standard of living and real wages would be higher for collective 
members and would cause the peasants to voluntarily join those collectives.

The Right Opposition and Bukharin, to the contrary, favored increased 
private ownership of land and state support for private agricultural 
development. In some ways, this could be seen as an extension of NEP 
agricultural policy, although, it was an attempt to extend that 
"temporary retreat" into the indefinite future.

In a sense, then, one could say that Stalin via forced collectivization 
broke with the Right Opposition's policy against collectivization, but he 
also implemented collectivization in a way that was far different than 
that proposed by the Left Opposition.

If Lou were here, he'd love to talk about this stuff.

Jerry


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