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The Peasant Smallholding
Žarko V. Đorđević
Sažetak
Representatives of different economic schools have not always held equal views
legal ding the peasant smallholding. At the time when productive forces were still
undeveloped, when human labour and stable manure were the main factors ot
production, and when the importance of production was assessed on the basis of
gross yields, the mercantilists regarded the peasant smallholding as the best and
socially tiie most useful agricultural unit. With the development of agricultural
science and new farm techniques, the physiocratic, liberal and Marxist schools of
thought began to emphasize the economic and social advantages of large holdings
ihe lively controversy on the respective advantages of large holdings and peasant
smallholdings winch ensued in the West at the time still continues.
Dining the past two centuries peasant samliholdings, like other peasant holdings,
have had a varied fate. Unable to compete with large holdings and overseas
agueulture, smallholdings began rapidly to disappear in certain countries while,
under the influence of agrarian reforms especially after the First World War
numencally increasing in others. However, their economic position has not improved:
they hardly manage to survive and are mostly bypassed by economic and
cultuial developments. Despite certain favourable changes which have reached the
peasant smallholdings, they are being abandoned by an increasing number of owneis.
ihe number of smallholdings has considerably been reduced in six West
hui opean countries over the past ten years.
Gwiiig to theii negligible productive iorce, their low income and low purchasing
powei, peasant smallholdings are a great socio-economic problem in everv
counny. ihe measures undertaken in the West in order to improve their position
lave only had a palliative effect and have led 10 the emergence of Mashotov’s
p.ail for the countries of the West European market. This plan proposes the dissolution
ot small and medium holdings and their replacement by large agricultural
units based on industrial and commercial principles. This ambitious plan has
met with determined resistance both from the peasantry and from political circles,
lhus it would oe realistic to assume that despite their unprofitability, small
peasant holdings are likely to survive in West European countries for some time
to come.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
119025
URI
Datum izdavanja:
10.6.1969.
Posjeta: 953 *