The Povolzhye famine (Russian famine of 1921)

[Pawn Power]

What are people's understanding of the Russian famine of 1921? Specifically, what is the historical evidence for its causes.

The millions of deaths from the famine is often added the list of 'communist caused deaths,' along with assassinations and gulag related deaths, by American historians and anti-communists to 'demonstrate' the crimes and inefficiency of 'communism'. However, I am skeptical to believe the the cause was mainly gross mismanagement or agricultural production.

What does the historical record reveal?

[ComradeOm]

Briefly the 1921 famine was the result of the continued collapse of of the Russian economy (a process that had reached alarming proportions as early as 1917) coupled with the effects of civil war and, yes, natural drought

The Civil War (and German occupation) had been particularly harsh in the grain producing regions where Bolshevik influence was weakest. This would have repercussions in the urban centres as well but for now its safe to note that much of the bitterest fighting took place in peasant dominated 'producer regions'. This in turn generated immense internal migration, prevented the establishment of stable state bodies, and facilitated the spread of disease (the epidemics that killed millions are rarely remembered) and brigandage. As if this was not bad enough, heavy frost and drought (which always affects peasant societies terribly) in 1921 produced a poor harvest. The result was a catastrophic famine