Cooperativism and the transformation of property relations: A case study of Southeastern Syrmia (1873-2025)

Abstract

This paper examines the transformation of property relations, the development of cooperativism, and the management of land resources in Southeastern Syrmia from the abolition of the Military Frontier in 1873 to the present day. Particular attention is devoted to the continuity and discontinuity of property regimes, as well as to the impact of agrarian reforms, collectivization, nationalization, transition, and restitution on the local population and the agrarian structure. The aim of the study is to demonstrate how political and economic changes shaped the transformation of private, cooperative, and social ownership, with particular emphasis on the activities of the Cooperative for the Drainage of Southeastern Syrmia and the subsequent development of large-scale agro-industrial systems. The research is based on a historical-legal and comparative approach, drawing upon archival materials, legal and normative sources, and relevant scholarly literature.