The Limits of State-Led Land Reform: An Introduction

Thomas Sikor and Daniel Müller ()

World Development, 2009, vol. 37, issue 8, pages 1307-1316

Abstract: Summary This essay introduces a collection of papers that examine the effects of contemporary land reforms in practice. This essay focuses on the roles of state and community in land reform. It argues that state-led strategies encounter significant problems on the ground due to their reliance on "top-down" initiatives and bureaucratic implementation. Empirical and conceptual insights suggest the benefits of a shift in emphasis from state to community in land reform. Emphasis on community calls for a state that is more reactive to political demands originating "from below" and more responsive to variation in local institutions and practices.

Keywords: land; reform; land; tenure; land; use; state; community (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009

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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:37:y:2009:i:8:p:1307-1316

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