Abstract:

Compare with the bottom-up and original land ownership establishment in England, the government-led and top-down land ownership establishment in Germany is unique. Because of Prussia’s special historical status in territorial states of Germany in modern times, and because of its composite characteristics which originated from multi-cultural traditions, this article starts from Prussia’s origin and change, points out the intrinsic connection with the important historical phenomena of modern Germany, such as “Junker” and the “neo-serfdom”, and how Prussia imprinted a deep mark on the land ownership of German peasants. With Prussia as the guide, the territorial states of Germany started their land reforms in the early 19th century. After more than half a century, peasants generally possessed their own land, while the implementation of the principle of economic compensation, to a greater extent reduced and avoided social unrest, reduced the cost of reform, and promoted the reform developing orderly. The land reformation released social vitality, and Prussia rose rapidly and established a unified “German Empire”. However, it should be noted that some successful institutional changes did not imply the changes in perceptions or deep-seated rights relations, which was also the “fatal flaw” of Prussian model.

Published on Economic and Social History Review, Issue 3, 2021.