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We dont do those things (thelemmy.club)
submitted 2 months ago by to c/latestagecapitalism@lemmy.world
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[–] 1 point 2 months ago (1 child)

You're right there was a long history of famines like everywhere else on earth, but Ukraine's famine was unambiguously caused by the Soviets. It's well documented that essentially all of the grain was being shipped out for export to fund the state's expenses, and Ukrainians weren't left enough calories to survive. You would get shot for "stealing grain" by picking spilled kernels off of the ground. It was manufactured just like the Irish famine being manufactured by the British.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 months ago

    The soviets did not have the technology to control the weather, nor did they ask the Kulaks to burn their crops and kill their livestock. Grain was exported because it was necessary to acquire agricultural machinery from the west, which ended up accelerating grain production and ending the famine. Moreover, the Ukrainian communists hid the true extent of the famine from the Central Committee, resulting in more grain being exported than was sustainable. Once the lies were uncovered, grain was redirected back to Ukraine and the surrounding areas.

    The idea that the 1930s famine was caused by the soviets is false. Mismanagement definitely played a part, on the side of the Ukrainian communists deliberately hiding information from the CC. However, it is blatantly false that the export of grain was an intentional measure to create or extend famine.

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