Skiftet i Enåker vid mitten av 1800-talet : En undersökning om laga skiftets påverkan på äng och åker

The purpose of this essay is to examine the changes in the agricultural sector during the mid-nineteenth century. It was during this period "laga skiftet" was enacted, which was a law aimed at improving the efficiency of farms by changing the land structure within the collective of farms called "sock". The principal method proposed by "laga skiftet" was to change land from the pasture grounds to the field crop areas. Through meticulous study of original documents of the period, statistics were compiled and presented to show the effects on Enåker’s land structure. The result is conclusive and as intended by the law change, but minor anomalies exist. This is due to the unexplainable relation between the growth in field crop areas and the shrinking of pasture grounds during certain periods, leaving, in some cases, a large amount of hectare’s origins unexplained. Efforts are made to analyse and address this mystery, citing factors such as the use of forest areas and the marsh areas as previously untapped land. Other explanations are given for this disparity including macro-economic, technological and demand side factors. The conclusion finds the law change successful in achieving its goals but recognises other factors also contributed to the changing agricultural landscape during this time. With greater further research into this topic, building upon the groundwork in this text, answers to these anomalies may be unearthed and a wider understanding of the effects and merits of "laga skiftet” will become clear