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hoLOdoMor!
(lemmy.ml)
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this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2026
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When I talk politics on my stream, chatters often reference a letter by Stalin regarding the limiting of movement of Ukrainian peasants during the famine. They use this letter as proof he facilitated the famine.
I've largely interpreted this letter as an antirevolutionary measure that happened after the famine had already claimed millions of lives, but I would love to know how you view that correspondence as I'm not nearly educated enough on Soviet history.
I can find the specific letter if you're not familiar with it, I can't recall the title off the top of my head.
If you could find it, that would help! I'm unfamiliar with that specific letter. You could also ask over on Grad or Hexbear, their soviet history is much better than mine.
"Directive of the Central Committee on preventing the mass departure of starving peasants." January 22, 1933.
I will absolutely be joining Lemmygrad convos after I learn more about socialism. But for now I couldn't help myself but ask you given the context of this conversation.
From what I can tell, it looks like the aim was to solidify collectivization of agriculture and prevent mass disruption at the end of the famine. The famine lasted until 1933, which puts this letter at the tail-end of the famine. What it looks like is an order to prevent mass disruption of farming in a time where every grain was precious, and the collective farms were beginning to produce more and more. Whether or not this is an example of mismanagement is certainly a valid question, but a smoking gun explaining an intention to starve Ukrainians it is not.
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
No problem! Don't take my word for it though, that's just my first impressions. I'm sure others have made it an intention to study.
fyi: hexbear seems to be the social leftist center of the lemmyverse while lemmygrad seems to excel at exploring leftist theory.
this matters if you're like me who has a nascent understanding of leftism that leaves you unaware of most things and best become aware of it by engaging in interactions where people (mostly tangentially) banter about it rather than strict exploration of specific topics.
Cheers friend.