Agriculture in Depression 1870 1940

This study for students shows how British agriculture was affected by and reacted to international competition in the period after 1870, an era of growing world food surpluses. The author surveys the most recent research in the field and outlines the major areas of controversy among scholars. This concise 1995 survey of British agriculture between 1870 and 1940 shows how, after a period of comparative prosperity, British farmers faced a period of depression. The prime cause of this was the increase in world food supplies and the competition from cheaper producers. The author explains how this agricultural depression affected all groups in British farming in different ways. He shows how farmers reacted to the increased international competition, and demonstrates how low wages for farmworkers speeded the drift of labour from the land towards the towns, resulting in growing rural depopulation in some areas. The book provides a succinct survey of the recent literature on the subject, outlining the major areas of controversy and disagreement among scholars. A comprehensive bibliography is provided to help the reader pursue the subject in more detail.