The Bulgarian and Gagauz population from the MSSR, in the collectivization period (1947–1949): historical-anthropological approaches

One of the little-studied problems in the history of the Bulgarians and Gagauz of Budzhak is the process of forced collectivization associated with economic transformations in the region in the post-war period. The article, based on archival documents and published literature, examines the mechanism of decision-making on the socialist transformation of agriculture in the region, the stages of restriction, suppression, and then liquidation of the wealthy part of the peasantry of the Bulgarian and Gagauz villages of the Moldavian SSR in the period from 1947 to 1949. Also, it gives the qualitative characteristics of the category of farmers included in Soviet historiography as “kulak”, shows the role of the union, republican and local authorities in the implementation of agricultural policy. Directories, statistical and other materials help to assess the pace of forced planting of the collective farm and state farm system in the southern regions of the Republic, in places of compact residence of Bulgarians and Gagauzians, as well as to identify the sentiments of representatives of these nationalities towards the policies pursued by the Soviet government. Analysis of the presented materials allows us to understand the reasons for “Operation South”, identify the main social categories of the deportees, and also leads to conclusions about the harmful echoes of forced collectivization against the Bulgarians and Gagauzes of Budzhak in the period 1947–1949.