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Bonds without Bondsmen: Tenant-Right in Nineteenth-Century Ireland

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  • Guinnane, Timothy W.
  • Miller, Ronald I.

Abstract

Tenant-right, or a tenant's right to sell his holding, was one of the most puzzling institutions of nineteenth-century Irish land tenure. Historians have argued that the institution reflects the tenants' assertions of a proprietary interest in the land, an assertion often backed up by threats and violence. In this article we argue that landlords respected tenant-right because they could profit from the instistution. Our model reflects comments by contemporaries and explains that tenant-right functioned as a bond aganist nonpayment of rent and was part of a rational landlord's income-maximizing strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Guinnane, Timothy W. & Miller, Ronald I., 1996. "Bonds without Bondsmen: Tenant-Right in Nineteenth-Century Ireland," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 113-142, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:56:y:1996:i:01:p:113-142_01
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    Cited by:

    1. Guinnane Timothy W., 2005. "Trust: A Concept Too Many," Jahrbuch für Wirtschaftsgeschichte / Economic History Yearbook, De Gruyter, vol. 46(1), pages 77-92, June.
    2. Garrido, Samuel, 2011. "Fixed-rent contracts and investment incentives. A comparative analysis of English tenant right," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 66-82, January.
    3. Samuel Garrido, 2010. "Mejorar y quedarse. La cesión de tierra a rentas por debajo del equilibrio en la Valencia del siglo XIX," Documentos de Trabajo de la Sociedad de Estudios de Historia Agraria 1009, Sociedad de Estudios de Historia Agraria.
    4. Martin Dribe & Mats Olsson & Patrick Svensson, 2009. "Land transmission among tenants on noble land – the case of southern Sweden, 1766-1895," Working Papers 9022, Economic History Society.

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