We investigate the origins of agricultural inheritance traditions, equal partition and primogeniture. Our case study is the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Our empirical findings suggest that rural inheritance traditions were primarily determined by geography. First, fertile soils allowed splitting of the land among siblings for longer and with fewer conflicts, and hence we find more equal partition in areas with higher soil quality, especially at elevation levels conducive to intensive agriculture. Second, geography determined the settlement pattern. Areas that were settled before the Middle Ages, when land was abundant and free, are more likely to apply equal partition today. In areas that were largely uninhabited until the Middle Ages, primogeniture is the norm. We argue that these areas were deforested with the obligation of primogeniture, imposed by feudal lords.

我们调查了农业继承传统、平等分割和长子继承的起源。我们的案例研究是德国的巴登-符腾堡州。我们的实证研究结果表明，农村继承传统主要是由地理决定的。首先，肥沃的土壤允许兄弟姐妹之间的土地分裂时间更长，冲突更少，因此我们发现在土壤质量较高的地区，特别是在有利于集约化农业的海拔水平上，分配更加平等。其次，地理决定了聚落格局。在中世纪之前定居的地区，当时土地丰富而自由，今天更有可能实行平等分割。在中世纪之前基本上无人居住的地区，长子继承制是常态。我们认为这些地区因长子继承的义务而被砍伐，