Law of Spikelets

Law of Spikelets (закон о колосках) was a common name of the law based on the decree of Central Executive Committee and Sovnarkom of the USSR "About protection of the property of state enterprises, kolkhozes and cooperatives, and strengthening of the public (socialist) property" (Об охране имущества государственных предприятий, колхозов и кооперативов и укреплении общественной (социалистической) собственности) dated August 7, 1932.

The name appeared because peasants (including children) who attempted to hand-collect the leftovers of grains in the collective fields after the harvest were arrested for "damaging the state grain production".

The law was also known as the "Seven Eighths" Law ("Закон 'семь восьмых'"), because the date in Russian is written 7/8/1932.

Section I covers theft at railroad and water communications. Section II covers theft of kolkhoz and cooperative property.

The primary punishment for theft according to this law was the death sentence. Under extenuating circumstances the punishment was at least 10 years of imprisonment. In all cases convict's personal property was to be confiscated.

Section III of the law covers threats and intimidation of kolkhozniks. The punishment was 5 to 10 years of concentration camps.

Convicts for crimes covered by this law were not subject to amnesty.

The law was undersigned by Mikhail Kalinin, Vyacheslav Molotov(Skryabin), and Avel Enukidze.

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Full text in Russian language