The Failure of Agrarian Capitalism: Agrarian Politics in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA, 1846-1919

In The Failure of Agrarian Capitalism, Dutch economist Niek Koning scrutinizes attempts to reform farming policy in the latest round of GATT talks, and provides an incisive and comparative analysis of the agrarian politics in England, Germany, the Netherlands and the US from 1846-1919. Agriculture is a highly sensitive industry. Throughout history, national governments have intervened in and subsidized their agricultural sectors. The problems of competition in agriculture have been continually illustrated by disagreement over the European Community's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and, more recently, by attempts to reform farming policy in the last round of the GATT negotiations. The Failure of Agrarian Capitalism presents a comparative analysis of agrarian politics in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA from 1846-1919. The author examines the evolution of agricultural policy and the factors which motivate it. These factors are discussed in the context of the repeal of the corn laws to the first World War. This period was crucial in the failure of agriculture to establish itself as an industry independent of government. Agriculture is a highly sensitive industry. Throughout their history, national governments have intervened in and protected their agricultural sectors. The problems of competition in agriculture have been continually illustrated by disagreement over the European Community's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and, more recently, by attempts to reform farming policy in the last round of the GATT negotiations. The Failure of Agrarian Capitalism presents a comparative analysis of in agarian policies in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA from 1846-1919. The problems of competition in agriculture have been highlighted recently by disagreement over the European Community's Common Agricultural Policy. This book presents an analysis of the roots of these problems in agrarian politics from 1846-1919