Agrarian reform in Asia - a review of recent experiences in selected countries
Hossain, M.
Rural poverty and agrarian reform: 142-161
1982
Document Number: 241605
The paper presents some of the arguments for land reform in Asia and critically reviews land and tenancy reforms introduced by selected non-communist countries in South and South-East Asia. The land reforms introduced are discussed under three headings: (1) abolition of intermediary tenures, (2) regulation of landlord-tenant relations, and (3) ceilings on landownership and redistribution of excess land. It is shown that, with the exception of the abolition of intermediary tenures in South Asia, and the land ceiling measures in Taiwan and South Korea, attempts to change the man-land relationship have been half-hearted and have yielded no significant results. The major factor behind the slow progress seems to be the lack of political will which is reflected in attempts at marginal changes, loopholes in the law and poor implementation, which are themselves the results of the unequal social structure and the close relationship among the rural power elites, the political leaders, and the bureaucracy.