Slow decline of the peasantry Flashcards
1
Q
Kaiserreich
A
- increasingly industrialised society saw industries like chemicals and electronics boom relative to agriculture which saw a loss in importance
- Junkers attempted to uphold the peasantry importance because they relied on their work on their land for income
- Tariffs introduced by Bismarck (led to NL split) stopped the import of cheap grain from Russia and USA which helped peasants to some extent
- the peasantry lifestyle was only upheld by the Junkers who’s income relied on peasants, however the junkers saw a similar decline too and found It increasingly difficult to stay relevant
2
Q
War/weimar
A
- Agricultural production saw a dip due to the loss of people on the front line, and fertilisers and fuel were prioritised for the war effort
- major food shortages during the war ie turnip winter and 35% of pigs killed to save grain
- increasing competitiveness of European farmers and better techniques saw German produce fall in its value
3
Q
Nazi Germany
A
- initial improvements to help farming due to Darre’s drive towards ‘blood and soil’ and rural uptopi
- Nazis paid off farm mortgages, gave low interest rates, and the reich food estate 1933 helped keep supply up
- despite this peasantry continued its decline due to the shift towards war time industry, Hitler only ever met minister for agriculture twice because he was disinterested
4
Q
West Germany
A
- Those who had remained in farming benefited from increased mechanisation and better production techniques, with smaller farms joining together to build larger farms
- farming machinery subsidised by the govenment
- less demand for peasants as machines took over
5
Q
Overall decline facts
A
- in 1900, 30% of GDP was agricultural but only 2% by 1989
- 49% employed in agriculture in 1880 but only 2% in 1989
