In their desire of independence and self-organized justice, some Swiss farmers bear similarity to the concept of “cowboys”.
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Swiss “cowboys” are older, less educated and have a lower income than the average Swiss farmer.
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An in-depth analysis of comments in a questionnaire shows their aversion against additional incentivizing programs.
Abstract
Economists would assume that farmers with a net benefit will adopt programs incentivizing the delivery of public goods. Farmers who reject participation in such programs for principled reasons challenge this wisdom. This paper borrows from Will Wright's description of the North American cowboy to illustrate the motives and beliefs of this group. A survey in Switzerland about possible incentivizing programs in the realm of animal health is used to identify and characterize Swiss ‘cowboys.’ 22 % of the sample rejects any participation in incentivizing schemes. Their income and education levels are relatively low, and their ages tend to be high. They emphasize individualism and autonomy, rejecting interventions of the state in their ways of farming. The more ‘cowboys’ manage farms, the less successful incentivizing programs become.