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This entry discusses agrarian and land reforms. What are the purposes of agrarian and land reforms, and what circumstances provoke or enable them.How do agrarian reforms around the world differ from one another? Is the issue of agrarian reform still current in circumstances of globalization. The entry provides an overview of several themes. The first section analyses theoretical and political perspectives, including definitional disputes and political rationales for agrarian reforms. The second discusses some empirical questions, and reviews relevant evidence: topics include economic and environmental reasons for agrarian reforms and the debate over optimum size of farms. The third section examines current issues and controversies, including gender ‘disruptions’, neoliberalism and land ‘reform’ and whether agrarian reforms are still a necessity. The terms ‘land reform’ and ‘agrarian reform’ often overlap but are not precisely the same. ‘Agrarian reform’ is considered to have a wider meaning than ‘land’ reform. A situation of ‘agrarian’ reform covers not only a wide redistribution of land but also the provision of infrastructure, services and, sometimes, a whole programme of redistributive and democratic reforms. ‘Land’ reform refers to a narrower redistribution of land, usually to a limited group of beneficiaries. However, in practice, the two are often used interchangeably. Theoretical and political perspectives What is agrarian reform The classic definitions of agrarian and land reform belong to the ‘moment’ of developmental states. Particularly after the Second World War and decolonization, it was assumed that the state and state policy could be a motor of development and societal restructuring. Agrarian reforms are one example of such developmentalist policies. The assumption was that the state would provide support services, and that redistribution of income and property would provide overall social benefits. |
