Sovkhozny

A sovkhoz (Russian: совхо́з, IPA: [sɐfˈxos] (listen), short for сове́тское хозя́йство, sovetskoye khozyaystvo, meaning "Soviet farm" or "state farm") was a type of state-owned farm in the Soviet Union. Unlike kolkhozes (collective farms), where land and resources were nominally owned collectively by the farmers, sovkhozes were directly owned and operated by the state. Workers on a sovkhoz were essentially state employees, receiving wages rather than a share of the farm's profits.

Sovkhozes were typically larger than kolkhozes and were often specialized in the production of specific crops or livestock. They were seen as a more advanced and efficient form of agricultural organization, reflecting the Soviet government's desire for centralized control and large-scale industrialization of agriculture. The establishment of sovkhozes often involved the displacement of individual farmers and the consolidation of their land into state-owned enterprises.

The goal of sovkhozes was to provide a stable supply of agricultural products to the state and to demonstrate the superiority of socialist agriculture. While they did contribute significantly to agricultural output, they also faced challenges such as inefficiency, lack of worker motivation, and environmental degradation.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, most sovkhozes were privatized or reorganized. Some were transformed into joint-stock companies or cooperatives, while others were broken up and distributed to individual farmers. The transition process was often complex and controversial, with varying degrees of success.