The Danish agrarian reforms, 1784–1814, and the historians

Abstract

In 1888, Edvard Holm brought out his still much-cited book, Kampen om Landboreformeme i Danmark.¹ By his title, the “conflict over the agrarian reforms”, Holm meant the clash of opinion which preceded and contributed to the reforms initiated under Crown Prince Frederik's de facto regency, beginning in 1784. But the debate begun by Danish landowners, officials, and opinion-makers did not end with the reform era itself. It was continued by Danish historians, who have pursued it with remarkable intensity and no small passion down to the present day.