Kulaks were wealthy peasants in the Soviet Union who owned larger farms and were seen as enemies of the Communist party. They were targeted during Stalin's collectivization policies in the 1930s and many were persecuted, deported, or killed. The term "kulak" became a label for any peasants who opposed collectivization or were deemed as "bourgeoisie" by the Soviet government. The forced collectivization and persecution of kulaks resulted in a significant decrease in agricultural production and led to widespread famine across the Soviet Union.