191 1.] Co-operative Movement in Denmark. 471 



sufficient), and the State advances the rest at 3 per cent, 

 interest, and with great facilities in the matter of repayment, 

 retaining a mortgage on the land. Thanks to beneficial 

 legislation, a great portion of the agricultural population in 

 Denmark own the land they work. There are about 2,117 

 large estates, 75,320 peasant farms of from 20 to 150 acres, 

 and 68,000 small holdings varying from 3 to 7 acres. 



Prosperity of Peasant Farmers and Small Holders. — The 

 peasant farmers and small holders are very prosperous; the 

 latter are paying off the mortgages on their holdings, and it 

 is found that the previous movement of the rural population 

 to the towns has been in a large measure arrested. In this 

 connection it may, too, be mentioned that since the State has 

 offered pecuniary assistance to agricultural labourers to 

 acquire their holdings, there has been a falling off in the 

 number of emigrants. 



Advantages of Co-operation to Small Agriculturists. — The 

 peasant farmers and small holders, being naturally men of 

 small means, would in many instances have found it very 

 difficult to bring their produce to an advantageous market. 

 By means of co-operation the small man is able to reach the 

 best market possible. The co-operative dairy of which he is 

 a member buys his milk of him at the market rate, and sells 

 him back at a low price the separated milk on which he feeds 

 his pig. The pig he sells to the co-operative bacon factory 

 at a price determined by the demand of the British market, 

 while his eggs are disposed of to the co-operative egg export 

 association. In this manner he receives as good a price as 

 if he were able to bring his produce himself to Copenhagen, 

 nor do his benefits from co-operation cease there. He obtains 

 all he wants for himself, his family, or his farm from a co- 

 operative supply association, while a similar association 

 insures him. 



Character of the Danish Peasant. — It must not be for- 

 gotten that the Danish peasant is a very hard-working man. 

 His hours are generally longer than in England, and his way 

 of life cheaper. He is also very honest. This honesty, and 

 the mutual trust which results from it, may be taken to be 

 the moral foundation of the co-operative movement in 

 Denmark. Without this mutual trust, which is doubtless 



