Folwark
Encyclopedia
Folwark is a Polish word
for a primarily serfdom
-based farm and agricultural enterprise (a type of latifundium), often very large. Folwarks were operated in the Crown of Poland from the 14th century and in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
since the 15th century, from the second half of the 16th century in the joint Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
, and survived after the partitions of the Commonwealth
in the Russian Empire
until the early 20th century. Purpose of folwarks was to produce surplus produce for export. The first folwarks were created on church- and monastery
-owned grounds; later they were adopted by both nobility (szlachta
) and rich peasants (singular: sołtys).
The term "folwark" came into the Polish language
in the 14th century from the German "Vorwerk" (literally in fore-work, analogously: farm[house] before a manor or city).
Creation of the folwarks was boosted by growing demand for grain
and the profitability of its export, both to Western Europe and inside the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This led to the exploitation of serfdom, when land owners discovered that instead of money-based rent
and taxes it was more profitable to force the peasantry to work on folwarks. Folwark-based grain export was an important part of the economy
of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
In Poland serfdom was regulated (and increased) by the Act of Piotrków (1388) and Act of Toruń. With the fall of prices of agricultural goods at the end of the 17th century, the folwark economy was in crisis, and szlachta attempts to increase production by increasing folwarks' area (usually by appropriating peasant lands) and labour (usually by increasing work demand for peasants) only compounded the economic crisis and further worsened the fate of the peasants, who had been, until then, no poorer than their average counterparts in Western Europe.
In Lithuania serfdom was fully established during the Wallach reform
in the middle of the 16th century.
Until the end of the 18th century folwarks remained the basis for szlachta economic and political power. After the abolition of serfdom in Poland (in 1807 by Napoleon and in land reform
processes in the decades that followed), folwarks used paid labor.
Folwarks were abolished by the People's Republic of Poland
with the PKWN decree of 6 September 1944, concerned with agricultural reform. After the end of Second World War folwarks were nationalised, resulting in PGRs – state-owned collective rural enterprises (Państwowe Gospodarstwo Rolne) or partitioned, usually with no or little compensation to their owners.
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
for a primarily serfdom
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
-based farm and agricultural enterprise (a type of latifundium), often very large. Folwarks were operated in the Crown of Poland from the 14th century and in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
since the 15th century, from the second half of the 16th century in the joint Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
, and survived after the partitions of the Commonwealth
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
until the early 20th century. Purpose of folwarks was to produce surplus produce for export. The first folwarks were created on church- and monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
-owned grounds; later they were adopted by both nobility (szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
) and rich peasants (singular: sołtys).
The term "folwark" came into the Polish language
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
in the 14th century from the German "Vorwerk" (literally in fore-work, analogously: farm[house] before a manor or city).
Creation of the folwarks was boosted by growing demand for grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
and the profitability of its export, both to Western Europe and inside the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This led to the exploitation of serfdom, when land owners discovered that instead of money-based rent
Renting
Renting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership from landowners...
and taxes it was more profitable to force the peasantry to work on folwarks. Folwark-based grain export was an important part of the economy
Economic system
An economic system is the combination of the various agencies, entities that provide the economic structure that defines the social community. These agencies are joined by lines of trade and exchange along which goods, money etc. are continuously flowing. An example of such a system for a closed...
of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
In Poland serfdom was regulated (and increased) by the Act of Piotrków (1388) and Act of Toruń. With the fall of prices of agricultural goods at the end of the 17th century, the folwark economy was in crisis, and szlachta attempts to increase production by increasing folwarks' area (usually by appropriating peasant lands) and labour (usually by increasing work demand for peasants) only compounded the economic crisis and further worsened the fate of the peasants, who had been, until then, no poorer than their average counterparts in Western Europe.
In Lithuania serfdom was fully established during the Wallach reform
Wallach reform
Wallach reform was a land reform in parts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . Main goal of the reform was to increase revenue to the state treasury, and to distribute feodal services to the peasants...
in the middle of the 16th century.
Until the end of the 18th century folwarks remained the basis for szlachta economic and political power. After the abolition of serfdom in Poland (in 1807 by Napoleon and in land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
processes in the decades that followed), folwarks used paid labor.
Folwarks were abolished by the People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
with the PKWN decree of 6 September 1944, concerned with agricultural reform. After the end of Second World War folwarks were nationalised, resulting in PGRs – state-owned collective rural enterprises (Państwowe Gospodarstwo Rolne) or partitioned, usually with no or little compensation to their owners.