The free peasantry : agrarian protest in the Bavarian Palatinate, 1893-1933
This is a study of a German peasant pressure group of the 1920s. It is intended as a contribution to the debate about the role of the agrarian interest in the development of modern German politics. Its geographical scope is primarily the Bavarian Palatinate, but attention is also given to broader areas of the Rhineland and Bavaria. It is hoped too that light is cast upon issues common to large parts of Germany. The Free Peasantry (Freie Bauernschaft) developed a new concept of peasant trade unionism, which it hoped would assert peasant interests against those of industrial labour. Taking hold in small-farm areas of western and southern Germany, it lasted only from its foundation on the Lower Rhine in 1919 to its dissolution in the Saar territory in 1934, and for the even shorter period of 1920-29 in the Palatinate itself. In the Palatinate, however, it had a huge impact, launching agricultural delivery strikes against the postwar controlled economy and in 1923 providing the leader of most successful of the Rhenish separatist Putsche. The thesis places the Free Peasantry in the context of agrarian organisation and protest from the foundation of the Agrarian League (Bund der Landwirte) to the first year of National
Osmond, Jonathan
Agriculture and politics ; History ; Peasants ; Political activity ; Politics and government ; Germany ; Palatinate ; Palatinate (Germany)
The free peasantry : agrarian protest in the Bavarian Palatinate, 1893-1933. This is a study of a German peasant pressure group of the 1920s. It is intended as a contribution to the debate about the role of the agrarian interest in the development of modern German politics. Its geographical scope is primarily the Bavarian Palatinate, but attention is also given to broader areas of the Rhineland and Bavaria. It is hoped too that light is cast upon issues common to large parts of Germany. The Free Peasantry (Freie Bauernschaft) developed a new concept of peasant trade unionism, which it hoped would assert peasant interests against those of industrial labour. Taking hold in small-farm areas of western and southern Germany, it lasted only from its foundation on the Lower Rhine in 1919 to its dissolution in the Saar territory in 1934, and for the even shorter period of 1920-29 in the Palatinate itself. In the Palatinate, however, it had a huge impact, launching agricultural delivery strikes against the postwar controlled economy and in 1923 providing the leader of most successful of the Rhenish separatist Putsche. The thesis places the Free Peasantry in the context of agrarian organisation and protest from the foundation of the Agrarian League (Bund der Landwirte) to the first year of National
free peasantry agrarian protest palatinate study german peasant pressure_group intended debate role agrarian interest development modern_german politics geographical scope primarily palatinate attention also_give broad area rhineland hop light cast upon issue common large_part germany free peasantry develop_new concept peasant trade_unionism hop would assert peasant interest industrial labour taking hold small farm area western southern germany last foundation lower rhine dissolution territory even short_period palatinate itself palatinate however huge impact launch agricultural delivery strike postwar control economy provide leader successful separatist place free peasantry context agrarian organisation protest foundation agrarian league national