Agricultural growth in Saxony, 1750-1880

For the period 1790-1914 (1) agricultural growth has been reconstructed for present day Saxony and its main regions; (2) agricultural surplus and deficit regions has been identified to work out processes of regional specialization; (3) market integration processes has been analyzed using extensive price data. Well based estimations of Saxon agricultural output still go back to 1600. All these research was possible because of an exceptionally rich agrarian data base in Saxony compared to other German territories as well as to other European countries at that time. This data base allows to analyze long term agricultural development during the age of protoindustrialization and industrialization.  On the one hand for the first time it is possible to reconstruct quantitatively long term agricultural growth for a German territory. On the other hand quantitative and econometric research has deepened our insights into the determinants of German agricultural development 1600-1900. Most of all the impact of agrarian reforms around 1800 on growth has been tested for Germany for the first time. In addition the relationship between market and subsistence production has been analyzed.

• Prof. Dr. Ulrich Pfister (University of Münster, Germany)

• DFG (German Research Foundation)

The following theses are part of the project:

• Agrarstruktur und Agrarentwicklung Sachsens im 18. Jahrhundert (Agrarian structure and agricultural development in Saxony during the 18th century) (Carried out by: Judith Raue)