Long-term Land Inequality and Post-Colonial Land Reform in Egypt (1896-2020)

Rowaida Moshrif
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Rowaida Moshrif: PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, WIL - World Inequality Lab

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Abstract: The Middle East is among the most unequal regions in the world today, yet little is known about the long-term dynamics of inequality in the region. This paper presents detailed and newly digitized estimates of land inequality in Egypt from 1896 to 2020, drawing on comprehensive records of private agricultural land ownership. This unique dataset enables a systematic analysis of the evolution of land distribution over more than a century and sheds light on the historical forces and redistributive policies that shaped it. To the best of my knowledge, no similarly long-run and granular series on land inequality exists for any other country or land reform context. The results reveal an extreme concentration of land in the early 20 th century, with the top 1% of landowners controlling over 42% of privately owned agricultural land on the eve of Egypt's 1952 agrarian reform. Subsequent redistribution efforts reduced this figure to 27% by 1980. During the same period, the share held by the next 9% of landowners increased modestly, from 32% to 35%. The most notable gains were achieved by middle landowners (owners of 1 to 5 feddans), whose share increased from 20% to 30%. In contrast, the reform had limited impact on the landless and smallest landowners: the bottom 50% saw only a marginal increase in their land share, from 6% to 8%.

Date: 2025-04
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