CROFTER. A term designating a class of small tenants of the Scottish Highlands and is lands who hold arable land in severalty, and usually certain rights of pasture in common. The crofter is for the most part a descendant of the lowest class under the early clan system; and the rights of common pasturage are trace able to the communal proprietorship of the clan. After the breaking up of the clans, the legal status of the crofter became that of a tenant at will; by custom, however, he was usually ac corded certain fixity of tenure.
During the first half of the eighteenth century the chieftain of the clan, while losing his political leadership, Caine to be regarded as the proprietor of the soil. In some districts the chieftains who had been at war with the royal power were dis placed, and the land granted to supporters of the King. In either case the followers of the chief tain became tenants, owing rent for their land instead of personal services and dues. as for merly. Nevertheless, their economic position was fairly satisfactory, especially in the islands. But with the expansion of the woolen industry it be cme profitable for the landlord to turn his estate into sheep-runs; accordingly. wholesale evictions of the crofters took place in many of the High land districts. Moreover, natural increase of population had necessitated a reduction in the size of the individual holdings; so that at the end of the eighteenth century the whole class of crofters had been reduced to a condition of abject poverty. In the early part of the nineteenth century emigration of the crofters to America and the British colonies was officially encour aged; work-houses were established and extensive measures for relief in time of famine were un dertaken; but no permanent improvement was thus secured. In 1883 a Parliamentary commis
shin was appointed to investigate the conditions of life of the crofters. As a result of the inves tigation. the Crofters' Act of 1886 was passed. By this act the crofter is granted permanence of tenure, so long as he does not violate the specified conditions of his tenure; rents are fixed by a com mission; compensation is allowed for improve ments which the tenant may make. and the ten ant has a right to demand the assistance of the landlord in making other permanent improve ments. In order to remedy the evil effects of the excessive subdivision of holdings, the crofter is empowered to call upon the landlord to rent him additional land when the original holding is deemed by the commission to be insufficient.
Since the passage of this act the position of the crofter has materially improved. Rents have been lowered ; and the crofter, assured that im provements which he may make will not have the effect of raising his rents. and will not be taken from him through eviction. has advanced appreciably in methods of agriculture and in. industry.
Consult: Dalriad. The Crofter in History (Edinburgh, 1888) ; Guemier, Les crofters c'cos sais (Paris, 1S97).