Read the following eand answer the questions that follow:
This is a letter written by a peasant who did not want to join the collective farm. To the newspaper Krestianskaia Gazeta (Peasant Newspaper):
"... I am a natural working peasant born in 1879... there are 6 members in my family, my wife was born in 1881, my son is 16, two daughters 19, all three go to school, my sister is 71. From 1932, heavy taxes have been levied on me that I have found impossible. From 1932, heavy taxes have been levied on me that I have found impossible. From 1935, local authorities have increased the taxes on me... and I was unable to handle them and all my property was registered: my horse, cow, calf, sheep with lambs, all my implements, furniture and my reserve of wood for repair of buildings and they sold the lot for the taxes. In 1936, they sold two of my buildings... the kolkhoz bought them. In 1937, of two huts I had, one was sold and one was confiscated..."
Afanasii Dedorovich Frebenev, an independent cultivator.
From: V. Sokolov (ed), Obshchestvo I Vlast, v 1930-ye gody.
- Why did the peasant not want to join the collective farm?
- What were the reasons that made the conditions of the Russian peasants so deplorable?