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Some reflections on Eastern European agriculture an introductory essay to the special issue on “agriculture in Eastern Europe”

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Abstract

This article reviews three general themes pertaining to the transformation of Eastern European agriculture from a command system to a market oriented system. The first theme deals with the diverse character of Eastern European agriculture. In a context in which the agricultures of this region are often considered homogenous, acknowledgement of the varied dimension of this sector is a key element in both analytical and political terms. The second theme pertains to the “market”. The historical and theoretical dispute over the role of the “market” has not only been central in the socio-economic reorganization of Eastern European countries and agricultures but is also a common element shared with the “West.” The third and final theme refers to the changing social stratification of rural regions. The emergence of new and powerful social groups and the demise of others represent fundamental aspects in the understanding of possible trajectories for development. The article concludes with a review of the contributions contained in this special issue of Agriculture and Human Values.

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Alessandro Bonanno is Associate Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is the author of numerous journal articles and books, among themSmall Farms (1987),Sociology of Agriculture (1989),Agrarian Policies and Agricultural Systems (1990), andThe Agricultural and Food Sector in the New Global Era (1993). He is also co-editor of the forthcoming book “From Columbus to ConAgra: The Globalization of Agriculture and Food.” Since the late 1980s, he has been researching issues pertaining to the Agricultural and Food Sector in selected Eastern European Countries.

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Bonanno, A. Some reflections on Eastern European agriculture an introductory essay to the special issue on “agriculture in Eastern Europe”. Agric Hum Values 10, 2–10 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02217725

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