Читать книгу Economic Development in Denmark Before and During the World War онлайн

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But efforts to tighten the relation between owner and tenant had long been growing. In the middle of the fourteenth century, after the Black Death, the landowners tried to retain the leaseholders by compelling them to pay a quittance-fee (Forlov) if they gave up a lease. This was especially the case in Zealand and Laaland-Falster, where at the end of the Middle Ages the practice took the form of villeinage (Vornedskab), whereby the son of a leaseholder was bound to take over a farm on the estate. Moreover, increasing demands on the part of the Crown contributed to the growth of villeinage. The maintenance of the army and navy necessitated much carting and hauling on the part of the peasants, while the laying-out of the roads and the building of fortresses and castles was largely their work.

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Condition of the Peasants in the Eighteenth Century

The eighteenth century apparently brought an improvement in the condition of the Danish peasant, for villeinage was abolished in 1702. But shortly before that military service had been made compulsory throughout the country, ​and the burden arising therefrom was increased in 1733 by the introduction of bondage (Stavnsbaand), whereby all peasants between the ages of fourteen and thirty-five were bound to remain on the estate. In this way it came about that military conscription rested entirely in the hands of the landlords, who were thus enabled to keep their labourers. In the course of time, moreover, the oppression of bondage was increased by the extension of the age limit; and when to these heavy burdens were added the tithes levied for the support of the church, the sum-total greatly hampered the pursuit and development of agriculture. Moreover, other misfortunes, such as cattle-plague, contributed to aggravate conditions, so that profits were reduced to a minimum and the work of the peasants was characterized by laziness and stupidity.

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