Many Shades of Red: State Policy and Collective Agriculture

by Mieke Meurs

Overview

This volume provides a radical and timely corrective to received wisdom about the seemingly inevitable transition from communism to democratic capitalism. Arguing against popular misconceptions that portray collectivized agriculture as an unqualified failure that followed a monolithic Soviet model, the contributors draw upon newly available local sources to illuminate the costs, benefits, successes, and failures of cooperative agriculture. They highlight the wide variety of state policies, local responses, and economic outcomes, as well as the influence of local geography, political structures, and economic institutions in each region. Meurs provides an institutionalist analysis of both the causes and impacts of policy differences, drawing lessons of continuing relevance to the many countries in which agrarian reform remains a controversial issue.

Contributions by: Victor Danilov, Carmen Diana Deere, Stanka Dobreva, Veska Kouzhouharova, Imre Kovach, Justin Lin, Mieke Meurs, and Niurka Perez.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780847690381
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	02/24/1999
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	6.18(w) x 9.26(h) x 0.77(d)

About the Author

Mieke Meurs is associate professor of economics at American University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Continuing Importance of Collectivization Mieke Meurs Chapter 2: Russia: Developing, then Crushing, Peasant Farming Victor Danilov Chapter 3: Bulgaria: From Cooperative Village to Agro-Industrial Complex, The Rise and Fall of Collective Agriculture Mieke Meurs, Veska Kouzhouharova, and Rositsa Stoyanova Chapter 4: Hungary: Cooperative Farms and Household Plots Imre Kovach Chapter 5: China: Farming Institutions and Rural Development Justin Lin Chapter 6: Cuba: Successful Voluntary Collectivization Carmen Diana Deere and Niurka Perez Chapter 7: Conclusion: Looking Forward Mieke Meurs

Editorial Reviews

The volume succeeds brilliantly in showing the diverse experiences with collective agriculture. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in agricultural policy, and for scholars and practitioners of rural development.

Eastern Economic Journal

I found many interesting ideas and materials in this collection.

Slavic Review - Frederic L. Pryor

I found many interesting ideas and materials in this collection.
— Frederic L. Pryor, Swarthmore College

Slavic Review

Case studies drawing on new material, including life history interviews, survey data, and newly available archival sources, examine the process of agricultural collectivization in Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, China, and Cuba. Emphasis is placed on changes taking place over time and evaluation of the potential of various forms of land and resource pooling to improve agricultural performance under varying conditions. The introduction argues for the timeliness of a reevaluation of collectivization in the post-Soviet environment. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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