A Taste of Communists’ Own Medicine: The Political Consequences of Land Reforms in Japan and Taiwan

Daniel Minghan Chiang (), Elliott Fan () and Dexter Hsu ()
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Daniel Minghan Chiang: University of Rochester
Elliott Fan: National Taiwan University
Dexter Hsu: University of California, Davis

No 18095, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Postwar land reforms in East Asia were implemented as a geopolitical strategy to curb communism expansion. This paper evaluates their long-term political effects in Japan and Taiwan. In Japan, reform increased support for conservative parties and reduced backing for socialist and communist factions, with intergenerational persistence. Taiwan’s reform similarly bolstered electoral support for the Kuomintang. IV analyses support a causal interpretation. Survey evidence suggests that land acquisition fostered a desire for political stability as the mechanism, rather than through reciprocity or pro-market ideology. These findings highlight land reform’s critical role in shaping postwar political alignment and deflecting communist influence.

Keywords: containment; communism; land reform; Japan; Taiwan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N55 P26 Q11 Q15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm, nep-his and nep-pol
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