kolkhozh

The kolkhoz, a Russian term meaning collective farm, was a form of agricultural production cooperative in the Soviet Union. These collective farms were established through the process of collectivization, which began in the late 1920s under Joseph Stalin. The aim was to consolidate individual landholdings and peasants into large, state-controlled agricultural units.

Membership in a kolkhoz was nominally voluntary, but in practice, peasants were often coerced into joining. Land, livestock, and equipment were pooled together, and the farm was managed by an elected chairman and a board. Members received a share of the farm's produce and income based on their labor contribution, with the remainder going to the state.

Kolkhozes played a central role in Soviet agriculture, intended to increase efficiency and output, and to facilitate the state's control over food supplies. However, the early years of collectivization were marked by significant disruption, resistance, and widespread famine. While production eventually increased in some periods, the kolkhoz system often suffered from inefficiency, lack of individual incentive, and bureaucratic mismanagement.

Despite these challenges, kolkhozes remained the dominant form of agricultural organization throughout the Soviet era. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many kolkhozes were reorganized into different forms of agricultural enterprises, such as cooperatives or private farms, though some retained aspects of their collective structure.