sokhoz

A sokhoz, plural sokhozy, was a form of collective farm in the Soviet Union. The term is a Russian contraction of "sovetskoye khozyaystvo," meaning "Soviet farm." Unlike a kolkhoz (collective farm), where peasants theoretically pooled their land and resources while retaining private plots, a sokhoz was a state-owned enterprise. All land, machinery, and livestock were owned by the state, and workers were essentially salaried employees, receiving regular wages. Sokhozy were often established on newly developed lands or in areas where private land ownership was less prevalent. They were intended to be more efficient and productive than kolkhozy due to direct state control and investment. Management was appointed by the state, and production quotas were set by central planning. The state also provided infrastructure and social services for sokhoz workers. While the ideal was increased productivity and a more direct path to socialist agriculture, the reality often involved bureaucratic inefficiencies and varying levels of success. Sokhozy co-existed with kolkhozy throughout much of the Soviet period, representing a different model of agricultural organization.