Market growth, coordination problems and control – the timing of enclosures in East Central Sweden 1807–1892

The enclosure movement was a significant element of the agricultural revolution in Sweden. Legislation from 1749 onwards, opened up for Storskifte, which reduced number plots per owner, but did not touch villages’ common field or housing structures. edicts Enskifte (1803–1807) and Laga skifte (1827), however, made possible final dissolution open-field system. According to legislation one single landowner applying enclosure, could force entire village enclose. Nonetheless, process complete even by 1890s. Previous research has emphasised importance enclosures economic development and/or as factor income redistribution. It has, fully explained why some villages enclosed early others late. We investigate this question using newly constructed database containing all county Västmanland. Furthermore, Cox Proportional Hazards model, random sample 100 is followed over time estimate factors accelerated decelerated process. major conclusions are that concentration ownership cost decreased probability while complex land-use patterns real GDP-per capita growth increased enclosure.