Spanish agriculture in the long run, 1760-1936 : an interpretation

Abstract

This paper traces the fortunes of Spanish agriculture in the long run, and in the context of the more dynamic changes taking place elsewhere in Europe. I emphasise four points. First, agricultural growth remained limited for long periods because of weak demand. Second, when demand conditions improved, farmers frequently found themselves short of the necessary skills, and marketing networks remained fragile. Third, almost all politicians rejected off-farm migration, the "easiest" way of improving labour productivity before 1936. Finally poor natural resources were not by themselves the major cause of Spain's poor agricultural performance.