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 



