Page:The Modern Review (July-December 1925).pdf/544

518 The Magna Charta of Land Settlement

or the like that has been a constant example to Denmark and that is today inspiring the authors of Agricultural Tribunal of Investiga­ tion in Great Britain.

A far-reaching law was passed the same day, August 11, on which the new constitu­ tion of Germany was issued. Under its pro­ What is a Small Holding? visions, in certain districts owners of more than 875 bighas are compelled to group them­ It is difficult exactly to define a small selves in Landliefentngsverbaenden or “land holding. In Denmark, the latest official ex­ transfer-unions” and to sell one-third of the perts have fixed upon 44 bighas as the mini­ cultivated area to certain government recog­ mum size. In England the standard was up nized public bodies. These public bodies till now 175 bighas. There is a tendency to have been accorded the right not only of raise the unit by about 25 to 30 per cent. “pre-emption” but also of “expropriation”. In Germany, the holdings created by the laws Only those who possess less than 875 bighas of 1890-91 and 1919 have an average area of axe not to be touched. In Agramoesen und 119 bighas. In each instance the unit is Agrarpolitih i. e. Agriculture and Agricultur­ considerd to be small enough to be adequate­ al Policy” (Leipzig, 1920) by Professor Wyg- ly cultivated by one farmer with the help of oczinsky this law is described as embodying his family (and as a rule without hired the Magna Charta of land settlement. labour) and at the same time large enough Such is the history of small holdings, to maintain the family on a reasonable level • associated as they are with various names, of material prosperity and “mental satisfacAjisiedlung (colonising), Bentengut (rent-land) • tion.”

the very primitive stage of human life man never knew how to make things for his own use. He lived by hunting and by gathering fruits etc., or by otherwise appropriating nature’s products directly for his own consumption. There was no industry, no division of labour, no private property. Economists have called this the hunting stage.

In the second stage, known as the pastoral stage, men learnt to domesticate animals. The necessity for securing food for future consumption was felt and the only way towards this was found in keeping herds of animals ready for future satisfaction of wants. The animals required pasture and the life of man necessarily grew to be nomadic.

Animals however could not eternally supply food for the growing generations of men. Nature had to be controlled and directed to produce provisions for human beings. Men learnt to utilise nature’s power for raising food products for themselves. The agricultural stage was reached. Gradually the idea of private property developed and a system of some division of labour was also noticed.

The fourth stage was reached with the adoption of hand-made manufactures. Man’s necessities began to grow and the ideas of self-sufficiency and exclusiveness gave place to conceptions of inter-dependence and co-operation. Men produced articles at home with materials and tools collected by themselves and exchanged them directly with consumers by way of barter. This handicraft stage evolved through different manifestations and ultimately led to the industrial stage of modern times.

In the industrial stage manual power is largely replaced by machines and nature is made to help mankind with steam and electric power. A complete revolution in the methods of production, transportation as well as exchange is brought about, and men become more and more inter-dependent. Barter gives way to money economy. Mechanism of exchange becomes intricate with the introduction of credit. Division of labour