Final answer:
The great famine in Ukraine, known as Holodomor, was caused by Stalin's policies during the period of collectivization in 1932-33. The seizure of privately-owned farmland and livestock, along with quotas on grain production, resulted in a shortage of food and mass starvation in Ukraine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The great famine in Ukraine, also known as Holodomor, was primarily caused by the policies implemented by Joseph Stalin and the Soviet government during the period of collectivization in 1932-33. Stalin seized privately-owned farmland and livestock, leading to a shortage of food for the Ukrainian peasants. Additionally, the government imposed quotas on grain production, preventing peasants from accessing the food they had grown. As a result, an estimated 7 million people died due to starvation in Ukraine, which was known as the breadbasket of Europe.