20 AGRICULTURAL ORGANISATION 



course, be put those of countries like France and Denmark, 

 where the prevailing forces in the spread of agricultural 

 organisation have been essentially economic ; but one sees, 

 nevertheless, how wide is the range of interests the move- 

 ment embraces. 



STATE ACTION. 



While the attitude of Governments all the world over 

 towards agricultural organisation has been essentially 

 sympathetic and naturally so, in view of the benefits it 

 was certain to confer on the countries concerned there has 

 been much diversity in the particular courses of action 

 taken. 



In countries under Governments of a pronounced bureau- 

 cratic type, such as Austria and Hungary, the tendency has 

 been in the direction of the State assuming control of practi- 

 cally the whole movement, not only ensuring the provision 

 of ways and means but undertaking general direction and 

 even small working details. 



This policy may be a natural one in countries where the 

 people have been taught to look for almost everything to 

 their Government ; but State-aid carried to these extremes 

 constitutes a " spoon-feeding " which one must regard as 

 an undesirable substitute for either self-help or mutual- 

 help. 



Without going to the same lengths, and while still allow- 

 ing full scope for independent effort and democratic action, 

 the State in many other countries has rendered invaluable 

 aid to the movement by means of laws giving the societies a 

 legal status ; by affording them increased facilities in the 

 scope of their operation ; by establishing State, provincial 

 or other central banks to aid in the financing of village credit 

 banks ; by affording practical encouragement to scientific 

 research ; by organising systematic instruction in agricul- 

 tural science ; by making loans or grants to supplement 

 associated effort ; or by helping both to popularise the 

 movement generally and to establish it on a still sounder 



