AFAIU, there were 2 farmer classes in USSR at the time. Collectives getting fixed price for their crops, and Kulak private farmers getting market prices. Famine makes those prices extortionist, and USSR chose to fight extortion.
The farmers needed to buy stuff to keep the farm going and those prices had risen through the roof too. And the state sent in goons to requisition everything, leaving the farmers to starve. Sometimes burning the farms and killing the farmers just on the suspicion of not handing over everything. Real fucked up shit
The state just exacerbated the whole situation and using this opportunity to bolster their power instead of focusing on addressing the famine situation. Attacking and intimidating the farmers just made the situation worse.
AFAIU, there were 2 farmer classes in USSR at the time. Collectives getting fixed price for their crops, and Kulak private farmers getting market prices. Famine makes those prices extortionist, and USSR chose to fight extortion.
The farmers needed to buy stuff to keep the farm going and those prices had risen through the roof too. And the state sent in goons to requisition everything, leaving the farmers to starve. Sometimes burning the farms and killing the farmers just on the suspicion of not handing over everything. Real fucked up shit
The state just exacerbated the whole situation and using this opportunity to bolster their power instead of focusing on addressing the famine situation. Attacking and intimidating the farmers just made the situation worse.