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Was Gerschenkron right? Bulgarian agricultural growth during the Interwar period in light of modern development economics

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Kopsidis

    (Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (Halle / Germany))

  • Martin Ivanov

    (Department of Philosophy, Sofia University)

Abstract

The classical view of BulgariaÕs failed industrialization prior to the Second World War was established by Alexander Gerschenkron. According to his interpretation, an inherently backward small peasant agriculture and well-organized peasantry not only retarded growth in agriculture but obstructed any possible industrialization strategy. Following Hayami and Ruttan, we utilize the decomposition of farm labor productivity into land productivity, and land-to-man ratio to analyze the sources of growth in BulgariaÕs agriculture 1887-1939. Our results show that BulgariaÕs peasants did cross the threshold to modern growth during the Interwar period. Rich qualitative evidence supports the findings of our quantitative analysis that contrary to GerschenkronÕs view and conventional wisdom, BulgariaÕs peasants substantially contributed to the modernization of BulgariaÕs economy and society. We interpret our results in light of modern development economics, and conclude that agriculture formed no impediment to BulgariaÕs industrialization. The reasons that a Ôlarge industrial spurtÕ did not occur in Bulgaria until 1945 are not to be found in the agricultural sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Kopsidis & Martin Ivanov, 2015. "Was Gerschenkron right? Bulgarian agricultural growth during the Interwar period in light of modern development economics," Working Papers 0082, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
  • Handle: RePEc:hes:wpaper:0082
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Tsvetelina Marinova & Nikolay Nenovsky, 2019. "Cooperative Agricultural Farms in Bulgaria during Communism (1944-1989): an Institutional Reconstruction," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 22(74), pages 40-73, December.
    2. Ivanov, Martin & Kopsidis, Michael, 2023. "Industrialisation in a small grain economy during the First Globalisation: Bulgaria c. 1870–1910," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 76(1), pages 169-198.
    3. Pencho Penchev, 2018. "Constructing a Market Alternative for the Bulgarian Economy during the Interwar Period," Proceedings of the Centre for Economic History Research, Centre for Economic History Research, vol. 3, pages 33-48, November.
    4. Marinova, Tsvetelina & Nenovsky, Nikolay, 2020. "Cooperative Agricultural Farms in Bulgaria (1890 -1989)," MPRA Paper 98155, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bulgaria; agricultural productivity; peasant agriculture; industrialization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N53 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N54 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N14 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: 1913-
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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