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The concept agrarian individualism, coined by Marc Bloch, the leading French agrarian historian between the First World War and the Second [2], describes the endpoint of agricultural development after the early modern agricultural revolution. Agrarian individualism designates the abandonment of all collective forms of land cultivation in favor of unlimited individual use with full private ownership (Property). The preconditions of agrarian individualism were the enclosure of the common land and the abolition of all…

1. Methods 1.1. Cutting tools for harvesting grainIn the 18th century, harvest time in Germany began with the so-called rye mowing (mid to late July) and ended around Michaelmas (September 29) with the flax harvest. While flax (Fiber plants) was plucked up by the roots, the various kinds of grain were cut or mowed with a sickle or reaping hook (Cutting tools; see also the procedures for harvesting vegetables, fruit, and wine).In the early modern period, the primary implement used to harvest the summer grains oats and barley was the scythe (see fig. 1) – usuall…

1. General remarks 1.1. DefinitionIn modern economic theory, the term market refers to the encounter of supply with demand for the purpose of exchange. A “perfect” or “complete” market – in contrast to a monopoly market – exists when the market price cannot be influenced by individual suppliers or demanders. This equilibrium price is considered efficient; it is possible in the absence of practical or seasonal preferences on the part of consumers or producers, when market transparency predominates, when th…