The War on the Peasantry: Stalin, the Grain Crisis, and the Road to Famine (Part 2)

Episode Summary:

In the second part of our deep dive into the origins of the Soviet famine, Nick continues his exploration of 1928-1929, the critical years that sealed the fate of the Russian peasantry.

Drawing again on Robert Conquest’s The Harvest of Sorrow, we examine how Stalin’s "emergency measures"—intended to be temporary—became a permanent war on the countryside. Why did the Bolsheviks believe that the "middle peasant" was a capitalist hoarder? How did the regime’s reliance on bad data lead to a spiral of confiscation and violence that destroyed the incentives to produce food?

We uncover the tragic logic of a state that viewed market mechanisms as a threat and chose instead to loot its own people, setting the stage for the catastrophic famine of the early 1930s.

Plus: A reminder for history students! Tickets are selling fast for our Russian Revolution Masterclass on Sunday, January 25th. Book your spot now to master exam technique and essay structure.

Key Topics:

• The Emergency Measures of 1928: How temporary requisitioning became permanent policy.
• The Destruction of the Market: Why peasants stopped producing grain once the state began seizing it.
• Stalin's "Breathtaking Frankness": Admitting that the "tribute" levied on peasants was necessary for industrialization.
• The Myth of Hoarding: How the regime chased a phantom surplus that didn't exist.

Books Mentioned:

• The Harvest of Sorrow by Robert Conquest
• Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder

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