Artikel

De Britse landbouwpolitiek en de ontwikkelnig der landbouwcoöperatie

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Abstract

British agricultural policy and the development of agricultural co-operation - From 1848 till 1931 Great-Britain practised free trade for all agricultural and horticultural products. The reminiscence of the “Hungry Forties”, when high grain prices increased the misery of the workless and the poor, had so strong an impact on working class opinion that no government was able to reintroduce duties on food without heavy opposition. British agriculture was obliged to adopt itself to low prices for the majority of its products. Concentration of production on efficient farms got started but was thwarted in some parts of the country by the creation of new small holdings as a consequence of „The Small Holdings and Allotments Act (1908)” and „The Land Settlement (Facilities) Act (1919)”. As a rule small farms could only survive when they specialized on stockbreeding and horticulture, although some got through by practising a kind of subsistence economy. The heavy decline of agricultural prices during the years 1930-’32 resulted in the introduction of protective tariffs for food products. As most imports of food from the Commonwealth remained duty-free, this policy proved a poor help for the British farmer. National agricultural production had to be supported by subsidies and the creation of Marketing Boards, which by monopolizing the market secured high prices for the producers. During the second world war agriculture was reorganized by the Ministry of Food, which bought the whole production at remunerative prices. This system was maintained by the Labour government during the years 1945-’51. The conservative government reintroduced free trade for all agricultural products in 1954. A system of deficiency payments indemnified the peasants for the loss of income due to low market prices for food. As production and productivity increased rapidly on the big efficient farms, the guaranteed prices should have been cut down to avoid excessive deficiency payments. This, however, was very difficult as productivity on the small holdings didn’t increase as much as on the big estates. The small peasants claimed a living standard at least equal to that of the industrial workers, so that any attempt to reduce the guaranteed prices met with stubborn resistance. The conservative governments tried to reduce the total amount of deficiency payments by pushing up free market prices. The existing marketing boards (for milk, potatoes, hop and eggs) were revived and new ones created. Moreover, agreements with importing countries imposed minimum import prices and eventually import-quota for different agricultural products. These 169 measures resulted in an increase of the cost of living. The Labour government, which took over in October 1964, is trying to find another solution. In August 1965 Mr. F. Peart, the new Minister of agriculture, proposed the Parliament a plan to increase productivity on the small farms. Grants or pensions will be offered to peasants who are willing to abandon their activity on a small holding, so that by the redistribution of their several fields the creation of at least one efficient farm becomes possible. Private partition schemes will also be subsidized and in certain cases official corporations will receive the necessary powers to buy or expropriate fields, in order to constitute efficient holdings. Co-operatives for production and marketing will receive grants in order to collect the capital they need for their transactions. Mr. F. Peart introduced the bills necessary for realizing these projects, but they were invalidated by the dissolution of Parliament. There is no doubt that they will be reintroduced after the elections. Perhaps they will bring about a rapid growth of agricultural co-operatives. This may result in a complete transformation of the marketing system, private wholesale in food being partly eliminated by the collaboration of marketing and consumer co-operatives. Moreover, as about 90 pct. of the members of agricultural co-operatives are affiliated with societies trading with the Co-operative Wholesale Society, an increase of the number and turnover of agricultural societies will be very beneficial to the development of co-operative wholesale trade and indirectly also to the consumer co-operative movement as a whole. Most consumer co-operatives are affiliated with the co-operative party, which is a loyal associate of the Labour Party. So, a quick development of agricultural co-operation may prove to be a benefit to the British socialist movement.

How to Cite:

Vandewalle, G., (1966) “De Britse landbouwpolitiek en de ontwikkelnig der landbouwcoöperatie”, Tijdschrift voor Sociale Wetenschappen 11(2), 169–196. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/tvsw.95747