Democratic Farmers League of Sweden
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Farmers League of Sweden was an organization of farmers in Sweden
.
SDJ was founded in February 1918, at a congress with delegates from different parts of the country. The Cultivators' League (Odlareförbundet) merged into SDJ. Their publication, Odlaren ('The Cultivator'), was overtaken by SDJ.
The organization was linked to the Social Democratic Left Party of Sweden
(SSV, later the Communist Party of Sweden). SDJ had a sectorial and economic programme, but also a radical political programme. Regarding politics in general, the SDJ programme was largely the same as that of SSV. The agrarian programme of SDJ was detailed, but did not deviate from the SDJ line significantly. The organization argued that independent farmers, owning their own plots, should have the right to trade full ownership to a modernized åborätt (copyhold
), thus relieving them from debts. SDJ also sought to improve the economic position of its members, for example by promoting setting up cooperatives and economic associations.
The members were generally independent farmers. In situations when independent farmers who were members of SDJ took up jobs as labourers at estates, the organization managed negotiations over wages and price lists.
SDJ was never able to make any significant breakthrough amongst smaller peasants. The organization was dissolved after a few years. In SSV there had been dissatisfaction with SDJ, which was seen as not agitating enough for the party.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
SDJ was founded in February 1918, at a congress with delegates from different parts of the country. The Cultivators' League (Odlareförbundet) merged into SDJ. Their publication, Odlaren ('The Cultivator'), was overtaken by SDJ.
The organization was linked to the Social Democratic Left Party of Sweden
Left Party (Sweden)
The Left Party is a socialist and feminist political party in Sweden, from 1967 to 1990 known as the Left Party – The Communists .On welfare issues, the party opposes privatizations...
(SSV, later the Communist Party of Sweden). SDJ had a sectorial and economic programme, but also a radical political programme. Regarding politics in general, the SDJ programme was largely the same as that of SSV. The agrarian programme of SDJ was detailed, but did not deviate from the SDJ line significantly. The organization argued that independent farmers, owning their own plots, should have the right to trade full ownership to a modernized åborätt (copyhold
Copyhold
At its origin in medieval England, copyhold tenure was tenure of land according to the custom of the manor, the "title deeds" being a copy of the record of the manorial court....
), thus relieving them from debts. SDJ also sought to improve the economic position of its members, for example by promoting setting up cooperatives and economic associations.
The members were generally independent farmers. In situations when independent farmers who were members of SDJ took up jobs as labourers at estates, the organization managed negotiations over wages and price lists.
SDJ was never able to make any significant breakthrough amongst smaller peasants. The organization was dissolved after a few years. In SSV there had been dissatisfaction with SDJ, which was seen as not agitating enough for the party.