Non-Agricultural Labour

In the 1920s industries were created within the county and it became possible for villagers to contract for labour during the seasons when agricultural labour was not in demand and to commute back to the village weekly. The villagers themselves identify major phases of the collectivization campaign as landmarks in the increase of the abandonment of agriculture. In rural areas and in villages which are more remote, non-agricultural workers have to commute weekly to their place of work, be quartered in workers&s; hostels and return to the village only at weekends. The increasing involvement of women in the non-agricultural labour market is a development. In the village itself there are only a very limited number of non-agricultural jobs available and there is much competition for these: in the council, the two shops, the nursery, the school, and the post office. Occupational mobility in non-agricultural employment is not fully apparent if one only considers the occupational patterns of village residents.