EKONOMIK CONSEQUENCES OF COTTON MONOCULTURE DURING THA DEPRESSION

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the study of the reforms carried out as a result
of the cotton monopoly policy in the Surkhandarya oazis and their socio-economic, environmental,
and political significance. The work primarily analyzes the impact of centralized policies aimed
at cotton cultivation in the Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan during the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s, as well as their consequences for the economy, ecology, and living standards of
the population. Special attention is given to changes in the agricultural structure resulting from
the cotton monopoly, excessive use of water resources, and environmental issues that led to the
tragedy of the Aral Sea. At the same time, the reforms implemented during the years of
independence to mitigate the negative consequences of this policy are examined, in particular,
economic liberalization, diversification of agriculture, and improvement of local governance
systems. The study will scientifically analyze the impact of the cotton monopoly on socio-economic
processes in the Surkhandarya region, as well as the role and significance of reforms in the
development of the region.