ASSOCIATIONS OF EMPI^OYERS 29 



terms and higher wages. Thus have arisen the land-owners' unions, the 

 history of which may be divided into two periods, from 1901 to 1902 and 

 from 1907 to 1908, at which dates economic conflicts were most frequent 

 and most extended. In fact, in the first period the strikes numbered 850 

 and the strikers 369,577 ; in the second, the strikes were 580 and the 

 strikers 374,619, that is a percentage of 36.06 strikes and of 33.73 strikers 

 in the first period, and of 24.58 strikes and 34.21 strikers in the second, 

 in the total number in each case in the decade. It may be said that the two 

 periods above mentioned were specially remarkable for two strikes, " which 

 seemed to include all the partial contests of the two years and were so long 

 and violent that they appeared to the proprietors almost like an attempt 

 at expropriation" (i). These were two labourers' strikes ; that of Polesine 

 in 1902 and that of Parma in 1908. 



But while the first period was a time of formation, the second was al- 

 most exclusively one of transformation. The employers' organisations, 

 rapidly constituted in view of the threatening attitude of the first great 

 movements of the labour leagues, were almost rudimentary in form, and 

 rather simple agreements among the larger proprietors than any firm and 

 solid association. But in the second period, through experience gained in 

 the contest, they became more complete, and better prepared for resist- 

 ance : and they also extended their action from the field of mere resistance 

 to that of prevention. 



It was also in this second period that at the first National Agricultural 

 Convention held at Parma (October, 1907) one of the largest associations 

 of employers was formed ; viz the Federazione Interprovinciale (Interpro- 

 vincial Federation), and it was proposed to constitute a society of mutual 

 insurance against strikes, while affirming the necessity of regulating labour 

 contracts by law. 



From 1908 to 1909, the strikes having diminished in number from 257 

 to 140, and the strikers from 136,346 to 46.576, the weaker organisations 

 and those which had arisen in districts where the conflicts seemed defin- 

 itely concluded, were dissolved or ceased working. The others formed 

 numerous supplementary institutions for economic and technical ends in 

 order to obtain for themselves a more secure and continuous existence. 

 In fact in 1909, at the second National Congress at Bologna, the found- 

 ations were laid for a Confederazione Nazionale (National Confederation), as 

 well as for mutual insurance soci ties against hail and against accidents 

 in agricultural work. These associations began work in 1911. 



The importance of the employers' associations attracted the attention 

 of the Ivabour Office, which made them the subject of a special inquiry, the 

 results of which were pubhshed in 1912. 



(i) Soc the Report of the lynbour Office, raciitiotied in our sourcfs, page 26. 



