Economic Consequences of the 1933 Soviet Famine

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Natalya Naumenko, George Mason University, Department of Economics

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
replication files.zip application/zip 1.6 MB 12/27/2025 06:54:AM

Project Citation: 

Naumenko, Natalya. Economic Consequences of the 1933 Soviet Famine. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2025-12-27. https://doi.org/10.3886/E241703V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary This article studies the changes in the Soviet population and the urbanization patterns after the 1933 famine. It documents several new facts. (1) Although most of the direct victims lived in rural areas, the famine is associated with persistent differences in the urban population. Comparing more affected areas to less affected ones, in the long run, there are no differences in the rural population, but urban settlements in more affected areas are comparatively smaller. (2) Consistent with this pattern, in the long run, there are no differences in grain production and sown area, but electricity production is relatively smaller in more affected areas. (3) These differences were not planned in the First Five-Year Plan (1928–1933), but subsequent plans may have incorporated and exacerbated the differences in urbanization that occurred during the years of rural crisis. The paper argues that labor shortages during the crucial years of rapid industrialization hindered the development of cities in famine-stricken areas. Thus, the timing of the shock to the population is important. While established urban networks tend to recover from large temporary negative shocks, labor shortages during construction and rapid growth might have a permanent negative impact.
Funding Sources:  View help for Funding Sources Mercatus Center at George Mason University

Scope of Project

Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage Russia, Ukraine, Belarus
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 1897 – 2010
Collection Date(s):  View help for Collection Date(s) 2024 – 2024
Universe:  View help for Universe Provinces (oblasti) and cities and towns (urban-type settlements) in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) administrative records data
Collection Notes:  View help for Collection Notes data collected from published statistical books and archives


Related Publications

Download this project

Published Versions

V1 [2025-12-27]

Export Metadata

Dublin Core

DDI 2.5

Report a Problem

Found a serious problem with the data, such as disclosure risk or copyrighted content? Let us know.

This material is distributed exactly as received from the data depositor. As of April 2026, depositors are required to submit study materials in accessible formats. ICPSR has not reviewed, checked, or processed this material. For additional information about the study, please contact the investigator(s) directly. If you have questions about the accessibility of materials distributed by ICPSR or require further assistance, please visit ICPSR's Accessibility Center.