Selección de innovaciones en una agricultura atlántica de pequeñas explotaciones. Galicia) 1900-1936. La adopción de las trilladoras mecánicas

Abstract

This article analyses the reasons that explain that a technological innovation, the threshing machine, designed for the XIX Century great farms in specialized agriculture can be diffused in European agriculture dominated by small farms and plural production. It evaluates the handicaps that paralysed its adoption and how these were overcome, and checks how Ihe diffusion of this innovation, more intensive in Galician agriculture between 1900 and1936 than in the Spain of Ihe cereal, is possible. The collective innovation is the way to avoid those handicaps and, also, show the capability of adaptation lo Ihe market by Ihe small farmers, who reached the propriety pushing the rentier and organizing an agrarian association net at the same time. In this analysis the author introduces new criteria and considerations taking into account Ihe institutional conditions and the innovating subject.