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1) Soviet farming was backwards:
a) lots of small inefficient farms
B) Very little farm machinery - outdated methods
C) The grain harvest in 1913 was 80 million tonnes by 1922 it was 50 million tonnes and by 1925 it was 73 million tonnes
2) More food was needed because there was more workers in towns
A) Peasants were wanted in towns to work in factories to help Russia catch up with other countries.
B) With less peasants in the countryside farms were needed to be more efficient.
3) The NEP was not working
A) By 1928 grain production was still 20 million tonnes of grain short to feed towns.
B) The NEP was a capitalist system
4) Profits were needed to be made from selling crops abroad because:
a) to raise money to buy foreign machines and expertise.
B) The west would not lend money as a result of the cancellation of debts owed by the Tsar to the west after the revolution.
5) To get rid of the Kulaks
A) They were originally seen as wealthy peasants.
B) Stalin extended the phrase to include enemies of the revolution and those who would oppose collectivisation.

Why was there so much opposition to collectivisation from peasants in the 1930’s?
1) They did not want to lose land - They had gained land after the revolution and did not want to lose it.
2) They did not want to give up family home - they were forced to leave their home or village where they had grown up.
3) Did not want to lose their property - They would have to share their animals, tools with others.
4) No reward for working hard, little chance of making a profit.
5) Fear of starvation - if they did not meet targets set by government - gosplan - they would starve. Before collectivisation they could grow their own crops to avoid starvation.
6) The peasants would lose their independence - The peasants believed that they would return to the old system of serfdom from before the revolution.
7) The Russian church opposed collectivisation - They encouraged peasants to oppose collectivisation.
8) The Actions of 25,000 - This intensified opposition, they attacked churches, forced people to go to collectives and requisitioned grain.