The Agricultural Issue in Thessaly (1881-1923)—Thessaly between 1881 and 1930: Society and Ideas That Emerged

Abstract

The incorporation of Thessaly into Greece in 1881 created a distinctive agricultural and social problem. Unlike earlier annexations, such as the Ionian Islands, the integration of Thessaly and Arta followed prolonged negotiations after the Berlin Conference (1878). Wealthy Muslims sold their estates to Greeks from the diaspora, while the state, unable to compensate departing Ottoman landlords, left peasants in a more precarious position than under Ottoman rule. Greco-Roman law facilitated evictions, undermining the customary protections of smallholders under Muslim law, and fueling tensions between landless farmers and large landowners. This conflict culminated in violent clashes, assassinations, and widespread mobilization demanding redistribution. The agrarian issue shaped both local society and national politics, with personalities such as Marinos Antypas, Dimitrios Bousdras, and Nikolaos Plastiras leading movements that eventually secured land reform. The dissolution of large estates in 1923 confirmed the superiority of family-based farming over estates, improving productivity and stability. This paper explores why the agrarian issue arose in Thessaly and how it influenced social ideas and political developments, highlighting the interplay between land ownership, rural struggles, and reformist leadership that transformed both the region and Greece more broadly. The Addendum provides a concise analysis of the underlying factors that led Thessaly and, by extension, Greece to pursue a developmental trajectory distinct from that of the other Balkan states.