“Asharshylyk — Great Jute” 1931–1933 in Central Kazakhstan: to the problem statement

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to pose the problem of famine of 1931–1933 in Central Kazakhstan. The comparison of the general patterns of hunger in the XX century is carried out and the specificity of the Kazakh “Great Jute” is highlighted. The object of the analysis was the research of foreign and domestic authors identifying the causes of the outbreak of famine in 1931–1933 in the Kazakh steppe. On the basis of unpublished archival materials of the Statistical Department of the Karaganda region and published data, the loss of live-stock in the republic as a whole and in Kazakh cattle-breeding farms in Central Kazakhstan was tracked. The analysis of the presented materials demonstrates that the peak of the decrease in the number of livestock in the republic occured in 1931, 1932 and 1933, when the number of livestock, which had already decreased in the previous years (1929–1930), sharply decreased. Moreover, the main trends in the reduction of the herd population for various types of livestock are shown. The author analyzes the consequences of the famine called “Asharshylyk” by the Kazakhs in Central Kazakhstan. The dynamics of the number and ethnic composition of the population of the Central Kazakhstan region in 1926–1939 is considered, and the estimated demographic losses in the region during this period are indicated.