Page 123 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 123
the importance of commons in an integrated peasant economy ...
streams, rivers, and lakes facilitated transport of the heavy product, and the
cost of production consisted solely of the peasants’ own labour. They self-
-organised and used the forest as commons. The demand for tar was high
in Europe, and tar and pitch were established as the third most important
Swedish export commodity after copper and iron. The more intense use of
commons changed the economy for centuries to come, but tar distillation
in Ostrobothnia began to disappear after 1870 when ships were increasin-
gly built of metal instead of timber (Kuvaja 2001).
1.3 Charcoal, firewood, and transhumance
In northern central Sweden, use of the commons changed to produce char-
coal and firewood and to support an emerging transhumance system. The
sharp increase in production of copper and iron required large amounts
of charcoal and firewood. Large-scale firewood production was a necessi-
ty for the mines, and charcoal was mostly used in ironworks. To obtain lar-
ge amounts of firewood and charcoal, the state collected those products
as part of its tax. In the region of Dalarna, which this chapter will exami-
ne more closely in section III, taxation previously based mainly on arable
land and production of furs from squirrels changed in the 1580s and more
radically in 1606. From the latter date onward, the tax could only be paid
in charcoal and firewood (Ersgård 1997). Similar to tar distillation in Os-
trobothnia, economic matters outside the local community became incre-
asingly important in determining peasants’ production. There was a recip-
rocal benefit between peasants and mine owners.
The sharp increase in firewood and charcoal production coincid-
ed with the establishment of an Alpine transhumance system (compared
to the Mediterranean transhumance), which in Sweden was called fäbod
(summer farms) (Davies 1941; J. Larsson 2012). Peasants had started to es-
tablish summer farms in the early 16th century, but the system took off in
the 17th century, and by the end of that century they were part of a vibrant
agricultural system. The connection between charcoal and firewood pro-
duction and the expansion of the transhumance system stems from the
large collection of resources. The forests were opened up and conditions for
pasturing within the forests improved, which facilitated communication
and made them safer places to work (J. Larsson 2016).
121
streams, rivers, and lakes facilitated transport of the heavy product, and the
cost of production consisted solely of the peasants’ own labour. They self-
-organised and used the forest as commons. The demand for tar was high
in Europe, and tar and pitch were established as the third most important
Swedish export commodity after copper and iron. The more intense use of
commons changed the economy for centuries to come, but tar distillation
in Ostrobothnia began to disappear after 1870 when ships were increasin-
gly built of metal instead of timber (Kuvaja 2001).
1.3 Charcoal, firewood, and transhumance
In northern central Sweden, use of the commons changed to produce char-
coal and firewood and to support an emerging transhumance system. The
sharp increase in production of copper and iron required large amounts
of charcoal and firewood. Large-scale firewood production was a necessi-
ty for the mines, and charcoal was mostly used in ironworks. To obtain lar-
ge amounts of firewood and charcoal, the state collected those products
as part of its tax. In the region of Dalarna, which this chapter will exami-
ne more closely in section III, taxation previously based mainly on arable
land and production of furs from squirrels changed in the 1580s and more
radically in 1606. From the latter date onward, the tax could only be paid
in charcoal and firewood (Ersgård 1997). Similar to tar distillation in Os-
trobothnia, economic matters outside the local community became incre-
asingly important in determining peasants’ production. There was a recip-
rocal benefit between peasants and mine owners.
The sharp increase in firewood and charcoal production coincid-
ed with the establishment of an Alpine transhumance system (compared
to the Mediterranean transhumance), which in Sweden was called fäbod
(summer farms) (Davies 1941; J. Larsson 2012). Peasants had started to es-
tablish summer farms in the early 16th century, but the system took off in
the 17th century, and by the end of that century they were part of a vibrant
agricultural system. The connection between charcoal and firewood pro-
duction and the expansion of the transhumance system stems from the
large collection of resources. The forests were opened up and conditions for
pasturing within the forests improved, which facilitated communication
and made them safer places to work (J. Larsson 2016).
121
