Synopses & Reviews
All of the agricultural pressure groups in early modern France were important in shaping the evolution of French farming in this century. The transformation of an isolated peasantry into highly efficient agricultural producers, the role of the state in influencing agricultural modernization, and the place of the European community in French political and agricultural life have been affected by an increasingly complex network of organizations that are the subject of Cleary's book. Their history and geography is a revealing indicator of the social, cultural, and economic evolution of rural France. By combining an historical approach with a consideration of their contemporary role, the book serves to elucidate their role in shaping the countryside of the future.
Synopsis
This book examines the social history and historical geography of the most important agricultural pressure groups in France since about 1918, which helped to shape the evolution of French farming this century.
Table of Contents
List of figures; List of tables; Preface; Abbreviations; Base map of the départements of France; Introduction; 1. The transformation of rural France; 2. Individuals and associations in the farming community; 3. Agricultural associations before 1914; 4. The heyday of the regional unions, 1918-1930; 5. The economic crisis and the rise of corporatism, 1930-1940; 6. Agricultural associations under Vichy, 1940-1944; 7. A rural revolution? Syndicates and cooperatives, 1944-1965; 8. The deceptions of progress, 1965-1985; 9. Representing the community - the place of salaried labour and women; 10. Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index.