Conference paper

Articulation of the Croatian Farmers Interests Through Protests

Srećko Brkić ; Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Đurđica Žutinić ; Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Miroslav Tratnik ; Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Since early 90s, the Croatian peasantry has undergone significant changes caused by the processes of erosion of the family farms reproductive ability which started earlier but were then intensified by
war and transition from socialist to capitalist economy. The effect of
these changes was essentially worsened peasants' social status and
quality of life. The first attempt of the organized farmers' activity through the Farmers' Association of Croatian did not have any significant success. The Croatian Farmers' Association, founded in February 1999 upon the initiative of the Croatian Peasant Party, has
been the most successful in articulation of farmers' interests. It has
organized a number of farmers' protests out of which the one held at
the end of June and the beginning of July 1999 attracted the greatest
media' s attention. In this paper the authors examine the results of
the research in the farmers' attitude towards the protests comparing
them with the students of agronomy and agricultural experts' opinions
on this issue. The research results show that unlike students of agronomy and agricultural experts, the farmers approve the blacking
of roads as a method of protest. There is, however, almost unanimous
consent of all three groups of respondents about highly unfavourable
economic position of Croatian farmers, and in particular their reputation in society, about the fact that the farmers' position is getting relatively worse and that there has been a general dissatisfaction with the current agricultural policy. And more, the
government hasn't provided motivative instrumentary adequate to
the farmers current position and the internationally open market of
agricultural products and food. The authors have also established that
the farmers' economic and social position and the current agricultural
policy has been more favourably judged by the farmers who had completed secondary school or junior college and who earn more than
by those with lower education and lower income. 0r more accurately,
the present research has confirmed the connection between the family
farm reproductive ability and its head's attitudes - along with the family farms reproductive ability increases the rate of their heads
who consider the farmers' economic position and social reputation
better.

Keywords

farmers' protest; farmer organizing; status of farmers; Croatia

Hrčak ID:

34558

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/34558

Publication date:

23.3.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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