Agrariese geskiedenis en streekhistoriese navorsing.

Abstract

• Opsomming: In die volkshuishouding van die meeste lande beklee die boerderybedryf vandag steeds 'n sleutelplek. Gevolglik het sterk belangstelling in die landbouverlede die afgelope sowat veertig jaar veral in Europa en die VSA posgevat. Dit was egter eers na die Tweede Wêreldoorlog dat die beoefening van agrariese geskiedenis op 'n sistematiese, georganiseerde en wetenskaplike grondslag begin plaasvind het. Een van die belangrikste faktore hiervoor hou verband met die wye belangstelling in sosiale en ekonomiese geskiedenis en erkenning van die rol wat landbou in die breë samelewing speel (of gespeel het). Vanweë die aard en omvang daarvan, vereis bestudering van agrariese geskiedenis 'n interdissiplinêre benadering; dit veronderstel naamlik kennisname van die inhoud en toepassing van die metodes van ander sosiale wetenskappe. Vir studies oor plaaslike en streekgeskiedenis hou kennis van die agrariese verlede besondere waarde in. Landbou was immers eeue lank die spil waarom ekonomiese en maatskaplike aktiwiteite in landelike gebiede gedraai het. In teenstelling met die situasie in die buiteland, staan die beoefening van agrariese geskiedenis in Suid-Afrika egter nog in sy kinderskoene en is weinig navorsing al op hierdie terrein gedoen.

• Summary: Today, farming still ranks as one of the key industries in the national economy of most countries. As a result of this, during the last forty years, keen interest in the agricultural past has taken root especially in Europe and the USA. It was, however, only after World War II that the study of agrarian history was put on a systematic, organised, and scientific basis. One of the main reasons for this is the wide interest being shown in social and economic history, and the recognition of the role which agriculture plays (or has played) in society as a whole. On account of its nature and scope, the study of agrarian history calls for an interdisciplinary approach, which implies a cognisance of the contents and implementation of the methods used by other social sciences. Local and regional history, in particular, can benefit from 'n knowledge of the agrarian past, since agriculture has for centuries been the pivot on which socio-economic activities in rural areas hinged. In contrast with the situation abroad, the study of agrarian history in South Africa is still in its infancy and very little research has yet been done in this sphere.