The survival and re-emergence of family farming : a study of the Holsworthy area of West Devon
This thesis is based on an historical study of agriculture in West Devon and interviews with one hundred farmers in the area. The way in which family labour farming has adapted to the changing economic and social conditions of the twentieth century is analysed. The process of specialisation of production, the rise of owner-occupation of land and the continued shedding of farm labour are documented. Particular attention is devoted to ways of conceptualising family farming in rural sociology both as a specific form of economic production within capitalism and as a component of a traditional middle class in society. The persistence, indeed re-emergence, of familial production in agriculture is explained in the context of the resilience of family farming itself and a number of constraints to wholesale change in the industry. These constraints include the nature of land in agricultural production and the ways in which family farming is itself adapted and transformed to meet the changing conditions for its reproduction set by other sectors of a capitalist economy and through the state's involvement in agricultural policy.
Winter, David Michael
Family farming social history
The survival and re-emergence of family farming : a study of the Holsworthy area of West Devon. This thesis is based on an historical study of agriculture in West Devon and interviews with one hundred farmers in the area. The way in which family labour farming has adapted to the changing economic and social conditions of the twentieth century is analysed. The process of specialisation of production, the rise of owner-occupation of land and the continued shedding of farm labour are documented. Particular attention is devoted to ways of conceptualising family farming in rural sociology both as a specific form of economic production within capitalism and as a component of a traditional middle class in society. The persistence, indeed re-emergence, of familial production in agriculture is explained in the context of the resilience of family farming itself and a number of constraints to wholesale change in the industry. These constraints include the nature of land in agricultural production and the ways in which family farming is itself adapted and transformed to meet the changing conditions for its reproduction set by other sectors of a capitalist economy and through the state's involvement in agricultural policy.
survival re_emergence family farming study area west devon base historical_study agriculture west devon interview farmer area way family labour farm adapt_change economic_social condition analyse process specialisation production rise owner_occupation land continue shed farm labour document particular_attention devote way conceptualise family farm rural sociology specific form economic production within capitalism component traditional middle_class society persistence indeed re_emergence familial production agriculture explain context resilience family farm number constraint wholesale change industry constraint include nature land agricultural_production way family farm adapt transformed meet change condition reproduction set sector capitalist economy_state involvement agricultural policy