Tenant farmer

A tenant farmer is a person who lives and works on land owned by someone else. This person is known as a landlord. This agricultural system relies on a specific division of resources. The landowner provides the land and often the operating capital. Operating capital refers to the money needed to run a business. The landlord may also handle the management of the farm. In exchange, the tenant farmer provides their labor. Sometimes, tenants also contribute their own money or management skills. To use the land, tenants must make regular payments to the owner. These payments can be made in cash. They can also be a fixed portion of the crops produced.

There are different types of tenancy agreements. Some systems use a tenancy at will. In this setup, a landlord can evict a tenant at any time. Other systems use a tenancy for years, also called an indenture. This is a contract that lasts for a specific number of years. In many developed countries today, laws now restrict how landlords can evict tenants. These laws aim to provide more stability for the people working the land.

In England and Wales, the structure of rural society changed over many centuries. Historically, there were three main levels: landowners, tenant farmers, and farmworkers. Originally, tenant farmers were called peasants. Under old Anglo-Norman law, most tenants were bonded to the land. They were known as villeins. However, the Black Death in the mid-14th century caused a labor shortage. This shortage allowed the number of free tenants to increase significantly. Some tenant farmers eventually became very wealthy. They managed multiple farms and hired many laborers of their own.

Land ownership in England and Wales shifted due to the enclosure acts. These laws took place during the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. By the 19th century, tenants held about 90% of all agricultural land. This number dropped to 60% by 1950. By 1994, it had fallen to only 35%. High inheritance taxes after World War II helped break up large estates. This allowed many tenants to buy their own land at good prices. The Agricultural Holdings Act 1948 was a major law during this time. It gave tenants lifetime security of tenure to encourage long-term investment.

New laws in the late 20th century changed how farming businesses operated. The 1976 Act extended security to a tenant's spouse or relatives. The Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 created complex rules to protect tenants. It made it harder for landlords to give a notice to quit. This notice is a formal way to tell a tenant to leave. Because of these protections, some landlords became reluctant to lease land. This led to the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995. This act created a more market-oriented system called Farm Business Tenancies. These allow for more easily terminable interests, such as fixed terms.

In Ireland, the history of land ownership was marked by great inequality. In 1870, landlords held about 97% of the land. Only 1.5% of the population owned 33.7% of the island. Many people had no access to land at all. Some tenants used a system called conacre. They rented small plots yearly and paid with labor. This often happened without any legal lease or land rights.

The abuse of these farmers led to the Land War in the 1870s. This movement fought for fair rents and fixed tenures.

Eventually, the Irish government helped tenants buy their own land. The Irish Land Act 1903 was a major breakthrough. It allowed the state to finance tenants so they could buy out landlords. By 1914, 75% of occupiers were buying their land. In total, over 316,000 tenants purchased their holdings. This changed the entire national situation. Later, the Irish Land Commission helped manage land transfers. It focused on dividing large estates into smaller units for local families. The commission was eventually dissolved in March 1999.

Norway had a different experience for its tenant farmers. They were known as husmenn. In the mid-19th century, they made up about one-quarter of the population.

Landlords, called bønder, often demanded many working hours from them. This left the husmenn with little time to improve their own lives. They were often described as "economic serfs." Because they did not own land, they could not vote under the Norwegian Constitution. The husmann population grew from 48,571 in 1825 to 65,060 in 1855. Many husmenn eventually immigrated to Canada and the United States to find better opportunities.