The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Agrara entreprenörer. Böndernas roll i omvandlingen av jordbruket i Skåne ca 1800-1870.

Author

Summary, in English

This study deals with the agricultural transformation in 19th century Sweden. The aims are: firstly, to analyse the peasants' role as entrepreneurs in the transformation of agriculture, and secondly, to identify the distinctive characteristics of the agrarian entrepreneurs by studying particular aspects of entrepreneurial dealings during the agricultural transformation in Scania between 1800 and 1870. The background is that basic economic relationships in agriculture were changed during the 18th century. The more clearly defined property rights in agriculture, together with changes in other areas, created new possibilities for improved efficiency and thereby for increased production. These possibilities could be utilised by peasants who possessed certain distinctive characteristics.Empirical investigations of the enclosures and the credit market in three parishes, Brösarp, Saxtorp and V. Karaby, has been carried out. In the context of enclosures, an entrepreneur is defined as one who applied for enclosure. The analysis, comparing the applicants' characteristics with those of the other owners, is carried out on both village and parish levels. In the scrutiny of mortgage loans, an entrepreneur is defined as a person who takes out a loan tied to a mortgage, a loan sufficiently large for long-term investments. A multivariate analysis on individual level is used and the method employed is life-event analysis. Cox proportional hazard models are used to estimate the propensity to borrow. Entrepreneurs were present in areas with exclusively grain production and proximity to markets, as well as in the more peripheral areas with a more diversified economy. Peasants in the more central areas were, however, more active as entrepreneurs than peasants in the more peripheral areas. This was manifestedin the fact that peasants in the former areas themselves sought enclosure at a very early stage, and that they borrowed from institutional lenders to a higher degree. In the latter areas it could have been that individual ståndspersoner led the way with applications for enclosure and loans from institutional lenders, a conduct that later spread to the peasants. It is shown that certain distinctive features of the peasants defined as entrepreneurs were the same regardless of the environment. Above all, the capacity to produce a surplus was important for a peasant to utilise the new possibilities in entrepreneurial dealings. The ability to read and write may have functioned as a transaction technology. The investments that were made in education in the three parishes, and the fact that the ability to write was an important entrepreneurial attribute during enclosures, contribute to reinforcing this hypothesis. However, it is uncertain how education affected activities on the credit market. It is possible that the ability to write mainly lowered transaction costs in taking out institutional loans, rather than in loans between individuals. Variables such as gender and age have been tested and the concept of an exclusively male society has lost some of its credibility, as some women in the investigated areas took active part in the transformation. The probability of becoming an entrepreneur could also vary over time, depending on the economy's structural periods and business cycles.

Publishing year

2001

Language

Swedish

Publication/Series

Lund Studies in Economic History

Volume

16

Document type

Dissertation

Publisher

Almqvist & Wiksell International

Topic

  • Economic History

Keywords

  • Economics
  • Lantbruksekonomi
  • Agricultural economics
  • Ekonomisk och social historia
  • Social and economic history
  • 19th century Sweden.
  • event-history analysis
  • longitudinal analysis
  • literacy
  • enclosures
  • credit market
  • peasants
  • property rights
  • agricultural revolution
  • Entrepreneurs
  • econometrics
  • economic theory
  • economic systems
  • economic policy
  • Nationalekonomi
  • ekonometri
  • ekonomisk teori
  • ekonomiska system
  • ekonomisk politik

Status

Published

Supervisor

  • [unknown] [unknown]

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1400-4860
  • ISBN: 91-22-01916-2
  • ISRN: LUSADG/SAEH--2000/1059--SE

Defence date

28 April 2001

Defence time

10:00

Defence place

Crafoordsalen, Holger Crafoords Ekonomicentrum, Lund

Opponent

  • Ronny Pettersson (Universitetslektor)