Land Property Rights In Germany Rural Area In East Part Of Elbe River During16th And18th Century

People always think Germany rural districts in the east part of Elbe River as a backward and autocratic area. In this area, the combination of’ the second serfdom’ in countryside and the Prussian monarchy not only makes farmers’law status in this area low,but also deeply affects their property rights. In this opinion, landlords here can intervene farmers’marriage as well as their movement, and can ask for free labors and rents from farmers at their will. Furthermore, farmers’children in certain places also must offer compulsive labors.In a word, the Germany rural districts in the east part of Elbe river areas is a hell of farmers, because of their unwarranted law status and property rights.This thesis takes Prussia-Brandenburg as an example, trying to analyze the property rights situation during16th and18th century in this area. In fact, fanners’ law status in Germany districts in east part of Elbe River as well as fanners’ land property rights in Prussia-Brandenburg is not so bad.During16th and18th century, the Germany districts in the east part of Elbe river was still a agricultural society. Agriculture production plays a major role in economy. At that time, the markets of agricultural products were not enough and agriculture production was strongly restricted by the supply of labors. As a consequence, social relationship in rural areas was changed. First of all, although farmers differentiated, they still owned same interests and the countryside community still worked.For territorial kings, he must paid more attention to his fiscal incomes rather than the alliance with landlords.Sometimes, he ever maintained farmers’interests instead of suppressing them. But we can not say, territorial kings became friends of farmers’.He just a judger between farmers and landlord, aiming to increase his own interests.With the change of social economy and relationship, land property rights situation in Germany countryside districts in east part of Elbe River also be different. As a whole, the situation in Prussia-Brandenburg were better. When speaking of landowners, landowners as a group remained the same as middle ages except the divergence of proportion of land owned by different groups. However, ownership rights were not exceptional as it in the later19th century, bur shared among different groups.Farmers’their law status actually declined, for many of them lost the status of freeman. But they were not completely deprived of any rights. As the evidences show, they owned certain rights about marriage and movement, which even landlords can not unreasonably intervene. What’s more, though landlords can ask for rents and other services from farmers, the amount remain the same un.Farmers can hold land through Landholding Certificate, and their inheritance rights also can’t easily intruded.This thesis denies the traditional view that during16thand18th century, farmers’ law status in Germany rural districts in the east part of Elbe River and land property rights are definitely bad. In fact, farmers’ situation especially in Prussia-Brandenburg is somehow not so bad.