By the early 1930s, Elista was transformed into a small city as the collectivization policies of Joseph Stalin forced many Kalmyks to abandon their traditional pastoral nomadic lifestyle in exchange for a modern, sedentary, and urban lifestyle.
Tidlig i 1930'erne var Elista forvandlet til en lille by da Josef Stalins kollektiviseringspolitik tvang mange kalmyker til at opgive deres traditionelle nomadiske livsstil til fordel for en fastboende og urban livsstil.