Release land! A common Europe of land reforms (c. 1750-1850)?

Political economy flourishing in Europe in the second half of the century fostered agrarian measures aiming at releasing landownership and farming. It generated debate and action, both scattered and surprisingly convergent, in order to solve the main problems (seigniorial hold, collective use, restrictions to individual initiative). States were driving forces and had to manage social mobilizations generated by the reforms. Facing these challenges, some countries went on with reforms while others stopped them. In France, the contradictions induced by the reforms led to a revolution that included an agrarian part. It led to the complete abolition of seigneurial system; laws which aimed to promote small property and peasant farming were new. Implementation remained uncertain while contributing to an original French peasant way. Most of other States in 19th century carried on these reforms, with diverse aims and results. These were determined by their acceptability by society. All in all there was hardly any reform affecting simultaneously all components of rural societies. However, the cumulative effects of measures led to the gradual liquidation of the feudal system and to a generalization of individual management in 19th-century Europe. They also opened up new political and social perspectives, focusing on land distribution and liberty.