On the federations of Farming Guilds of Employers («Grémios da Lavoura»): a short description of what they made and they did not make

Abstract

The present article places itself, and must be read accordingly, in the line of the previous works of the author (see Análise Social, n.^os 56, 57 and 58) on the evolution of the economic coordination organs connected with farming. First, because it deals with another aspect of the some corporatist organization concerning the primary sector and may, therefore, contribute to a global understanding of the processus, always in progress, of its extinction or transformation. And then, more exactly, because the federations of Farming Guilds of Employers (that, on the contrary of the juntas and institutos, are already extinct) raise two main questions, the analysis of which has already been forworded by the history of those organs: a) That of structuring of the «living forces» at an already high level (here at a provincial or regional level) and of the representativity criteria to be adopted, implying delicate options in the field of function division and connection with public power. b) That of the complex origins and uncertain destiny of what the author calls our State or half-State capitalism, that has been partly formed in corporatist or pre-corporatist organs ideologically bissed according to the idea of selfdirection of economy, with the promise of being entirely independent of the State. It with the purpose of contributing to re-think this issue that this article describe the facts that, according to the author's opinion, the present problems were originated.