Page 129 - 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. 129
the importance of commons in an integrated peasant economy ...
burden on the commons and maintain household income, the migration of
labour increased considerably (Rosander 1967). At the community level, the
agricultural economy continued to expand into the mid-19th century, but at
the household level, this expansion ended earlier and secondary occupati-
ons became a necessity. Traveling within and outside their regions to sell
commodities or labour, the peasants brought home many things; most im-
portant were money and grain.
By looking more closely at Dalarna, we can see how this integration
unfolded from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The integrated peas-
ant economy had certain features that made it vibrant and extremely im-
portant: (1) local specialisation; (2) commodities for a regional market; (3)
labour and commodities for a national and Scandinavian market; and (4) a
connection to the global market. Hence, products were diverse and includ-
ed tools to facilitate agriculture production, commodities, clothing, con-
struction, etc. In this section, I present a few examples of secondary pro-
duction that illustrate the integrated peasant economy but do not provide a
complete list of their market-oriented activities.
3.1 Tools for agriculture production
The agricultural expansion in the area created a demand for tools for better
management of arable, meadow, and pasture lands, as well as for animal
husbandry. The secondary occupations that arose from that demand were
often connected to favourable natural resources. One of these tools was the
grindstone, for which Orsa Parish, north of Lake Siljan, became famous.
The grindstones were mined from an open pit that was collectively owned
by the villages, whose shares in the quarries were based on their shares of
assessed taxes. As in many other activities in Dalarna, the users were orga-
nised in teams, and mining grindstones was performed as collective acti-
on. Grindstones were necessary to keep the scythes sharp when mowing
hay and can be linked to the great increase in animals in the region and
their demand for winter feed. But grindstones were also required for vari-
ous agricultural tasks throughout the country, and during the winter sea-
son, peasants from Orsa travelled great distances to sell them. In exchange,
they brought home grain, money, and other commodities (Hülphers 1762;
Levander 1944; Linné 1984).
Sharpening stones or whetstones were also in demand for honing
scythes. Transtrand Parish in western Dalarna stands out for its produc-
tion of sharpening stones. These stones were mined on common land in
127
burden on the commons and maintain household income, the migration of
labour increased considerably (Rosander 1967). At the community level, the
agricultural economy continued to expand into the mid-19th century, but at
the household level, this expansion ended earlier and secondary occupati-
ons became a necessity. Traveling within and outside their regions to sell
commodities or labour, the peasants brought home many things; most im-
portant were money and grain.
By looking more closely at Dalarna, we can see how this integration
unfolded from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The integrated peas-
ant economy had certain features that made it vibrant and extremely im-
portant: (1) local specialisation; (2) commodities for a regional market; (3)
labour and commodities for a national and Scandinavian market; and (4) a
connection to the global market. Hence, products were diverse and includ-
ed tools to facilitate agriculture production, commodities, clothing, con-
struction, etc. In this section, I present a few examples of secondary pro-
duction that illustrate the integrated peasant economy but do not provide a
complete list of their market-oriented activities.
3.1 Tools for agriculture production
The agricultural expansion in the area created a demand for tools for better
management of arable, meadow, and pasture lands, as well as for animal
husbandry. The secondary occupations that arose from that demand were
often connected to favourable natural resources. One of these tools was the
grindstone, for which Orsa Parish, north of Lake Siljan, became famous.
The grindstones were mined from an open pit that was collectively owned
by the villages, whose shares in the quarries were based on their shares of
assessed taxes. As in many other activities in Dalarna, the users were orga-
nised in teams, and mining grindstones was performed as collective acti-
on. Grindstones were necessary to keep the scythes sharp when mowing
hay and can be linked to the great increase in animals in the region and
their demand for winter feed. But grindstones were also required for vari-
ous agricultural tasks throughout the country, and during the winter sea-
son, peasants from Orsa travelled great distances to sell them. In exchange,
they brought home grain, money, and other commodities (Hülphers 1762;
Levander 1944; Linné 1984).
Sharpening stones or whetstones were also in demand for honing
scythes. Transtrand Parish in western Dalarna stands out for its produc-
tion of sharpening stones. These stones were mined on common land in
127
