Participatory Rural Development in 1930s Japan: The Economic Rehabilitation Movement

Yutaka Arimoto

No 14, PRIMCED Discussion Paper Series from Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University

Abstract: This paper studies an early participatory rural development program implemented during the 1930s in Japan. This program selected several villages each year to draft and implement their own original development plans. I discuss the implications of the features of the program on its effectiveness. A detailed baseline survey conducted by the villagers themselves helped them to objectively diagnose their economic situations and understand their issues. The plans defined clear numerical targets, allowing them to share goals and monitor progress. The implementation of the plan was reinforced by frequent communication and monitoring among neighbors and by an incentive scheme that involved competition within a village. I use a village-level panel dataset from the Hyogo prefecture to examine the effects, under the difference-in-differences strategy. I find suggestive evidence that the program helped foster the adoption of cattle raising and diversify agricultural production.

Keywords: Participatory development; Rural development program; Crop diversification; Great Depression; Japan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N55 O10 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 24 pages
Date: 2011-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev and nep-his
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https://hermes-ir.lib.hit-u.ac.jp/hermes/ir/re/19423/No14-dp_11_014.pdf

Related works:
Journal Article: PARTICIPATORY RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN 1930s JAPAN: THE ECONOMIC REHABILITATION MOVEMENT (2012)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hit:primdp:14

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