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RESEARCH PRODUCT

La société de crédit mutuel agricole de Pouilly-en-Auxois (1896-1926)

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description

The "Société de Crédit mutuel agricole" in Pouilly-en-Auxois (1896-1926). The Méline law of 5 November 1894 marks the birth of the "official" Crédit agricole. For moderate "agrarian" republicans this law, which aimed at meeting the needs of the recovery of agriculture, was also a mean to "win the campaigns for the Republic once and for all. "Thus, the creation of the first Société de Crédit mutuel agricole in Côte d'Or (Pouilly-en-Auxois) in March 1896 contributed to the consolidation to the republican base in this traditionally conservative district. The study of how this local agency worked during its first thirty years (1896-1926) shows us that it was managed by notable republicans with continuity in the exercise of power, and that its aim was to lend to "small" farmers, which especially facilitated everyday agricultural operations. This study also allows us to examine the development of the legislative framework concerning agricultural credit : the setting up of an agricultural warrant without divesting by the law of 1898, the introduction of individual long-term credit through the law of 1910, the broadening of the customer base to others than those unionized under the law of 1920, and the creation of a national Office to the Crédit agricole under the law of 1926. The success of the Crédit mutuel agricole, a new method of intervention by the autorities, was made possible through the very active support of the State.