Yes, it means fist but I heard it was in reference to the closed fist of someone who would not share their produce. But who knows? I do not know a word of Russian.
In the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled Ukraine’s enduring Holodomor horror, when millions starved in the 1930s, No One Special wrote: (Concerning my reference to the use of the word kulak) Yes, it means fist but I heard it was in reference to the closed fist of someone who would not share their produce
The way I saw it referenced was a fist wrapped around the throats. BTW Websters New World Dictionary 1979 edition shows it as Russian of Estonian orig) p416)
That dictionary also describes it as a “well to do farmer” not as a derogatory reference which is a revisionist remnant of the Durante NYT influence