Historical Soources - Assessing the Reliability of Sources

HISTORICAL SOOURCES - ASSESSING THE RELIABILITY OF SOURCES

Stalin’s Economic Policy – Collectivization and Industrialization

Question: Assess the reliability of the documents as sources of historical evidence about Stalin’s economic policy of collectivization and industrialization.

Identify and explain the bias and indicate whether the facts/evidence is accurate by providing corroboration for each document.

Document 1

. Why is the document not reliable?

In the document, the party official reveals his bias towards the peasants by referring to them as “wretched people”. Also, the party official would not be objective about collectivization as he would be expected to promote its advantages and benefits.

. Why is the document reliable?

The statement in the document on the ineffectiveness of machinery on small plots is accurate and corroborated by other sources such as Twentieth Century History. The use of modern farming machinery was a significant reason for collectivization.

Document 2

The document represents Stalin’s view of the Kulaks which is biased. Stalin viewed the Kulaks as opponents of collectivization that needed to be destroyed and he targeted them.

The document represents a direct quote by Stalin who was the architect of the destruction of the Kulaks. The information is corroborated by events as the Kulaks did resist and opposed collectivization and Stalin destroyed them.

Document 3

The document is not an objective source but biased since it is an opponent of Stalin. Although the information is corroborated by the facts - peasants slaughtered livestock to protest collectivization and many deported - it is exaggerated as it is melodramatic.

The document is emotionally powerful and conveys more of what the conditions were really like. It is corroborated by the facts - peasants did slaughter livestock to protest collectivization and many were deported.

Document 4 . Why is the document not reliable?

The document represents Stalin’s speech about the Five Year Plan and is biased as he is the architect of the plan. As the individual responsible for creating the plan he is promoting it rather than evaluating it.

The document includes information and facts about the industrialization of the USSR such as the development of a steel industry and production of agricultural machinery that is accurate and corroborated by sources such as Global Forces.