Decollectivisation, Destruction and Disillusionment: A Community Study in Southern Estonia

• List of Figures
• p. xii

• List of Tables
• p. xiii

• Contributors
• p. xiv

• Foreword
• p. xv

• 1
• Introduction
• p. 1

• Research Background
• p. 1

• The Special Character of Kanepi
• p. 3

• Methodological Foundations
• p. 4

• Ethical Considerations
• p. 6

• The Structure of the Book and the Division of Labour Between the Researchers
• p. 8

• The Style of the Book
• p. 9

• Local and National Levels
• p. 10

• 2
• The Historical Background of the Kolkhoz and the Municipality of Kanepi
• p. 15

• Introduction
• p. 15

• The Municipality of Kanepi
• p. 16

• The Development of Agriculture in the Municipality of Kanepi Before 1940
• p. 16

• Agriculture in the Municipality of Kanepi in 1939
• p. 16

• The Agricultural System of the Soviet Era
• p. 19

• The Termination of Small Production and the First Years of the Kolkhoz System From 1947-1950
• p. 24

• The establishment of the kolkhozes and the decline of Agriculture
• p. 24

• The period of stabilisation
• p. 31

• The establishment of the Kanepi kolkhoz--progress and stagnation
• p. 33

• The Disintegration of the Kanepi Kolkhoz
• p. 41

• The results of the poll of 1990
• p. 42

• The failure of the attempted reform in 1991
• p. 50

• The last two years of the Kanepi kolkhoz 1991-1992
• p. 52

• The Liquidation of the Kanepi Kolkhoz
• p. 53

• The Activities of the Reform Committee
• p. 53

• The Decisive Sessions
• p. 54

• The Distribution of the Kolkhoz Assets
• p. 56

• References
• p. 61

• 3
• The Dissolution of Kanepi Kolkhoz
• p. 63

• The Structure of the Former Kolkhoz-centric System
• p. 63

• Kanepi Kolkhoz as a Part of the Soviet System
• p. 63

• The Dependence of Village Soviets on the Kolkhozes
• p. 66

• Kolkhoz Chairmen: Personifications of Local Power
• p. 68

• Technocratisation of Agriculture
• p. 72

• The Symbiosis of Large-scale and Small-scale Production in Kanepi
• p. 75

• The Patrimonial Character of the Kolkhoz System
• p. 81

• "The Dictatorship of Milkers or Tractor Drivers"
• p. 88

• Floor-level Prosperity and an Indifferent Attitude towards Work
• p. 90

• The Development of Capitalist Production Relations, as Viewed from Kanepi
• p. 94

• The So-called Original Accumulation and Agriculture
• p. 94

• The Influence of Other Forms of So-called Original Accumulation on the Dissolution of the Collective Farms
• p. 98

• Farms Set Up According to the Farm Law of 1989
• p. 100

• The Assets Received in Compensation
• p. 102

• The Right of Restitution of Land in the Form of Compensation
• p. 104

• The Privatisation of the Kolkhoz
• p. 105

• Savings And Loan Associations as a Solution for Unrealised Vouchers
• p. 107

• The Privatisation of Residences
• p. 108

• The Need for Decentralised Decision-Making and the Problems it Entailed
• p. 109

• The Crisis in the Kolkhoz System and the General Outlines of the Reform
• p. 110

• The First Two Phases of the Reform Policy
• p. 110

• Conflicting Utopias and the Background of the Transition into the Third Phase of the Reform
• p. 113

• The Third Phase of the Reform Policy
• p. 117

• Drafting the Reform Plan
• p. 120

• The Reception given to the Reform Plan
• p. 123

• Opposition and the Wreck of the First Reform Plan
• p. 127

• The Question of the Fate of the Kolkhoz
• p. 130

• The Rise to Power of the Opposition
• p. 133

• The Reform and Its Execution
• p. 136

• Attempts at Modernising the Existing Kolkhoz Structure
• p. 136

• Return to the Reform Plan of the Former Chairman
• p. 142

• The Reform Committee, Plans for Privatisation according to Book Values and the Rise of a New Opposition to the Reform Plans
• p. 147

• Public Thieving and the Moral Bankruptcy of the Board of Management
• p. 154

• Auctions as a Compromise between Different Interest Groups
• p. 163

• The Auction Strategy of the Kolkhoz Leadership and the Tactics of Other Interest Groups
• p. 171

• The Importance of Information in Preparation for the Auction
• p. 180

• Further Information on the Auction Procedure
• p. 183

• The Auction
• p. 193

• Further Problems Arise
• p. 193

• Agricultural and Non-agricultural Complexes
• p. 195

• Machinery, Equipment and Other Movable Assets
• p. 198

• The Auction and the Social Structure
• p. 205

• The Savings and Loan Association as the Legal Successor of the Kolkhoz
• p. 206

• The Future Prospects of the Various Farm Types
• p. 212

• A Systematic Picture of the Agricultural Enterprise Structure in the Light of Two Surveys
• p. 213

• Back to Kanepi--Difficult External Circumstances
• p. 216

• The Modes of Reproduction of Agricultural Enterprises
• p. 218

• Marginalised or Marginal Small-scale Producers
• p. 219

• Semi-proletarian Enterprises
• p. 233

• Capital Intensive Family Farms
• p. 234

• Capitalist Large-scale Enterprises
• p. 239

• Collectively Owned i.e. Neo-collectivist Large-scale Farms
• p. 249

• A Summary of the Directions of Development
• p. 254

• Understanding the Failures
• p. 258

• Robber Capitalism, Anomie and Resistance
• p. 264

• Robber Capitalism
• p. 264

• Anomie
• p. 268

• Resistance
• p. 271

• References
• p. 275

• 4
• Surly Cream
• p. 277

• Introduction
• p. 277

• The Era of the Rouble was the Golden Era--the Importance of Organisational Capital and Social Networks
• p. 278

• Diversified Company I
• p. 278

• Diversified Company II
• p. 281

• Shopkeeper I
• p. 283

• Shopkeeper II
• p. 284

• In the Grey Zone--Informal Economy as the Basis for Entrepreneurship
• p. 286

• Just Making a Living--Business Enterprises as a Means to Avoid Marginalisation
• p. 289

• The Spirit of Capitalism Arrived, the Community Spirit Went Out of the Door--the Losers
• p. 291

• Wage Earner Turned Business Person and Back
• p. 291

• Cowshed Entrepreneur by Chance
• p. 293

• Wood Processing Through Thick and Thin
• p. 296

• Conclusion
• p. 299

• Still Waiting for the Good Times--the Future Prospects of Kanepi
• p. 300

• References
• p. 302

• 5
• From Village Soviet to Municipality
• p. 305

• Introduction--the Capacity for the Transformation of Social Capital
• p. 305

• Reforming the Village Soviet from 1989-1991
• p. 307

• Development of the Municipality of Kanepi During Independence
• p. 316

• School and the Development of the Municipality
• p. 321

• Village Soviet, School and Collective Farm
• p. 321

• The Socialisation of Young People in Kanepi
• p. 322

• Post-independence Schools and Perspectives of the Municipalities
• p. 326

• Municipality, Revival of Cultural Life and Identity
• p. 328

• Disruptions in Cultural Life and Continuities in the Spiritual Life of Kanepi
• p. 330

• 'Days of Kanepi'--the Restoration of Historic and Cultural Identity
• p. 333

• Modernisation of Cultural Life in the Restored Municipality of Kanepi
• p. 335

• Public Safety in Kanepi--the People's Patrol, the Defence League, and the Home Defence
• p. 339

• Rahvamalev--the Voluntary People's Patrol
• p. 339

• Kaitseliit--the Defence League
• p. 340

• Kodukaitse--the Home Defence
• p. 343

• Future of Local Government in Kanepi
• p. 345

• References
• p. 347

• 6
• The Rebirth of Civil Society in Kanepi
• p. 349

• The Historic Resources and the 'Structure of Opportunities' in Realignment ('perestroika')
• p. 349

• The 'Singing Revolution' in Kanepi in 1987-1990: Political Mobilisation and Mass Movements
• p. 351

• Popular Movements in Kanepi--The Popular Front, Coupled with the Restoration of People's Faith in Themselves
• p. 351

• The Struggle for Historic Memory--the Estonian Heritage Society in Kanepi
• p. 354

• Some Reflections on the Estonian Citizens' Committees and the Estonian Congress in Kanepi
• p. 356

• The Mobilisation of National and Local Identity in 1988-1991
• p. 360

• Local Identity Building and the 'Days of Kanepi'--1988, 1989 and 1990
• p. 361

• The Restoration of the Monument to the Heroes of the War for Independence
• p. 362

• The Collapse of the Estonian Communist Party; Political Reorganisation and Reforms
• p. 367

• The Enforcement of Power by the ECP in the Estonian Village; the Opportunism of the Particular Policy Pursued (suaviter in modo)
• p. 367

• The Lines of Force in the Political Life of Kanepi
• p. 372

• The Church as a Source of Social Capital
• p. 375

• The Associations for Civic Initiative
• p. 379

• Summary: Civic Associations and Reforms in Kanepi
• p. 384

• References
• p. 386

• 7
• The Significance of the Kanepi Study
• p. 389

• Rural Areas as the Driving Force in Estonia's Struggle for Independence
• p. 390

• The Agricultural System of Estonia and the Preconditions for the Success of the Kanepi Reform
• p. 391

• The Middle-class of the Collective Farms and the Decollectivisation
• p. 394

• The Possibilities of Kolkhozes and Sovkhozes for Transforming into Large-scale Enterprises in a Market Economy
• p. 396

• The Effects of the Failed Decollectivisation outside Agriculture
• p. 399

• Future Prospects
• p. 400

• The Terms of Sustainable Development
• p. 402

• 8
• Appendix: Agricultural Reform in Estonia
• p. 407

• The Pre-reform Situation and Ideas
• p. 407

• Kolkhoz or Joint-Stock Company?
• p. 408

• Profit Centres and Rental Agreements in Kolkhozes and Sovkhozes
• p. 409

• Private Farming and Co-operatives
• p. 410

• The Ideology of Restitution and The Law on the Principles of Property Reform
• p. 415

• Changes in the Economic Environment and a Pessimistic Forecast for 1992-1994
• p. 416

• The Main Ideas of Agricultural Property Reform
• p. 418

• Main Goals and Preconditions
• p. 418

• The Law on Agricultural Reform
• p. 423

• The Law on Agricultural Reform and Structural Transition
• p. 423

• The Reform in Action
• p. 427

• Training the Reform Commissions and Chairmen of the Collective Farms
• p. 427

• Main Models for Transition, Procedures for Privatisation
• p. 428

• Problems, Conflicting Interests, and Shortcomings
• p. 429

• Conclusions and Outcomes
• p. 434

• References
• p. 438