Kolektivizace venkova v horním Polabí

Following the communist putsch in February 1948, Czechoslovak society was undergoing a very difficult stage, which was associated with extensive social transformation, general reconstruction of the economy and installation of firm single-party dictatorship. The collectivization of the countryside represents one of the typical events of this period. The scholar addresses this theme in the regional context of the Upper Elbe Region, delimited by Hradec Králové and the Giant Mountains. He views them from the micro-historical perspective, being primarily interested in its participants and their motivation. He examines acceptance of the idea of collective cultivation of land in the society between 1948–1953, the reactions to the collectivization efforts, the motives and circumstances of these events, the social context, relations and behavioral patterns behind the partakers’ acts. The three main sections follow the phenomenon of resistance, voluntariness and cooperation in promoting collective management.