The Hungry Steppe

En savoir plus sur le livre

The Hungry Steppe examines the tragic Kazakh famine of 1930-33, one of the most brutal crimes of the Stalinist regime, resulting in over 1.5 million deaths—about a quarter of Kazakhstan's population. This catastrophe transformed a vast territory comparable to continental Europe, yet its story has largely remained obscured. Utilizing state and Communist party documents alongside oral histories and memoirs in Russian and Kazakh, Sarah Cameron uncovers the harrowing realities and lasting impacts on Kazakh society. The famine, executed through extreme violence, ultimately led to the establishment of Soviet Kazakhstan, characterized by defined boundaries and integration into the Soviet economic framework, while simultaneously forging a new Kazakh national identity. However, this state-driven modernization was inconsistent, and Cameron argues that neither Kazakhstan nor its people were integrated into the Soviet system as Moscow intended. The famine's legacy left deep scars, influencing the republic throughout the Soviet era and its eventual independence in 1991. By exploring the Kazakh famine, Cameron challenges prevailing notions about violence, modernization, and nation-building under Stalin, particularly regarding the formation of a new Kazakh identity and the role of environmental factors in Soviet development. The work recontextualizes the Soviet regime's disastrous policies in a compelling and insightful manner.