The Economics of Subsidising Agriculture

A Study of British Policy

Gavin McCrone

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Hardback

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English

Routledge
01 June 2025

International trade; Primary industries

Series: Routledge Revivals

Originally published in 1962, this book was a study of British agricultural policy since the Second World War – during a period which saw the adoption of a comprehensive system of agricultural support which stood in marked contrast to the free trade policy adhered to previously. The policy of support brought a substantial increase in the output of British agriculture, but it imposed a heavy burden on the taxpayer and was the subject of much controversy. The author considers the economic issues involved with this policy and compares the role of agriculture in Britain with the part it played at the time in other countries. The book analyses the main sources of Britain’s food supply in the second half of the 20th century and examines the effect of the European Common Market. The British system of support is contrasted with that used in other European countries.

By: Gavin McCrone
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781041062455
ISBN 10: 1041062451
Series: Routledge Revivals
Pages: 190
Publication Date: 01 June 2025
Audience: College/higher education , College/higher education , Further / Higher Education , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Gavin McCrone has had a long career in economics and public policy, becoming one of the most influential figures in the Scottish economy. He studied agricultural economics at Aberystwyth University in the 1950s when post-war conditions required many changes in policy, before lecturing in economics at Glasgow and Oxford universities. In 1970, he moved to the Scottish Office in Edinburgh as chief economic advisor to the Secretary of State, later heading up the Industry Department for Scotland and the Scottish Development Department. After retiring from the civil service, he returned to academic economics as a professor, first at Glasgow University and then at Edinburgh University Business School. Among subsequent roles, he was vice-chairman of the Royal Society of Edinburgh's 2003 inquiry into the crisis in the Scottish fishing industry, and in 2010 chaired its inquiry into the future of Scotland's hill areas. In the 2010s, he was author of two books examining the economic challenges that might face an independent Scotland.