Editions of the EHESS Rural Studies 2008/1-181 ISSN 0014-2182, ISBN 9782713221767, pages 115-132; International hearing; For a few years now, some farmers, concerned about the demographic hemorrhage in their occupation, and a segment of public opinion, aware of environmental issues, have been questioned “productivism” in agriculture. Preventing this social criticism from both inside and outside farming circles, this issue has not attracted much interest, at least not in the social sciences. After a description of the methodology used, points are suggested that help us understand the situation from a perspective of fighting sociology and anthropology. The pursuit of productivity is a “total social fact” to be analysed in economic, symbolic, political and psychological terms. The farmers who pursue productivity depend on trade and are conveinced that technical innovations necessitarily present an advance for agriculture.; For several years, some of the public, who have been aware of the ecological issue, and some farmers, who are concerned about the demographic haemorrhage from which their profession is suffering, have been questioning agricultural productivism. Although this organisation system is currently subject to social, internal and external criticism, it has not always attracted the same interest, particularly in the humanities. After defining this method, the author proposes elements of explanation and understanding based on an approach reconciling the achievements of sociology and anthropology. Agricultural productivism is a ‘total social fact’ which can be analysed from an economic, symbolic, political and imaginary perspective. Productive farmers are dependent on their business environment and are convinced that technical innovation is necessarily an improvement for agriculture.