Land Reform: A Foundation for Industrial Growth in Developing Countries?

Anne Margrethe Brigham

Sociological Research Online, 2000, vol. 5, issue 3, 22-31

Abstract: In this paper I examine whether or not land reform can contribute to growth in the agricultural surplus of developing countries. There are two possible channels where we might expect an effect: the first is agricultural productivity and the second is “on farm consumption†. I start with an introduction to the theories on the relationship between agrarian structure and farm productivity. The theoretical literature on the effects of land reform on productivity is inconclusive. Therefore, I perform an empirical test on the relationship. I find that land reform is at least not detrimental to productivity. Next I provide a short summary of the literature on the relationship between land reform and “on farm consumption†. This literature is more conclusive. My conclusion suggests that land reform can have a positive effect on agricultural surplus (and thereby on industrialization) through both growth and redistribution.

Keywords: Agricultural Surplus; Chile; Developing Countries; El Salvador; Labour Productivity; Land Productivity; Land Reform; Nicaragua; On Farm Consumptionâ€; Peru; Philippines; The Domoinican Republic; Zimbabwe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2000
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socres:v:5:y:2000:i:3:p:22-31

DOI: 10.5153/sro.510

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