Negdel

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Negdel (Mongolian: Нэгдэл = union, association) is the common term for the agricultural cooperatives in the Mongolian People's Republic. The full name is Khödöö aj axuin negdel (Mongolian: Хөдөө аж ахуйн нэгдэл = Agricultural association).

[edit] History

[edit] Disastrous first attempts

First attempts at collectivization in the Mongolian people's republic were made around 1930-32, but failed miserably. Mongolia's livestock population decreased by around a third, and the forceful manner in which collectivization was conducted lead to uprisings that could only be quelled with the help of the Soviet Union. ^[1]

[edit] Introduction of the negdel

New attempts at collectivization were begun with different tactics and another name - the cooperatives in the early 30s had been called khamtral, i.e. collective, kolkhoz - in the mid-1930s, but initially only on a very small scale: while there were 139 negdels country-wide in 1950 ^[2], in 1949 ten negdels in Khövsgöl combined had no more than 4,700 animals, with the smallest negdel only owning 43. ^[3]

[edit] Collectivization

The move towards collectivization gained momentum in the mid-1950s, and by 1960 99,5% of herders had "voluntarily" joined a negdel. The number of negdels was gradually decreased so that by time they became identical to sums area- and population-wise.

[edit] Dissolution

After the democratic revolution of 1990, the herds were privatized again and all negdels dissolved. Farms were organized into private companys.

[edit] Organization

A negdel was organized into several brigades that were mostly nomadic. The members of a negdel received wages and were entitled to holidays and pensions. Dependent on the geographical location, herders were allowed to keep 10-15 private animals per family member, but no more than 50-75 per family.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ C.R. Bawden, The Modern History of Mongolia, London 1968, p. 303-320
2. ^ ^{a b} H.Barthel, Mongolei - Land zwischen Taiga und Wüste, Gotha 1990, p. 108f
3. ^ M. Nyamaa, Khövsgöl aimgiin lavlakh toli, Ulaanbaatar 2001, p. 182f