Mutual Effects of Land Distribution and Economic Development: Evidence from Asia, Africa, and Latin America

Hossein Azadi,Eric Vanhaute

doi:10.3390/land8060096

Abstract

Land plays an important role in the economies of developing countries, and many theories connecting land inequality with different dimensions of economic development already exist. Even though efficacious land distribution allows societies to transition from poverty to a human capital-based developed economy, ongoing issues related to property rights, inequality, and the political economy of land distribution are unavoidable. The general objective of this paper is to explore the nexus between land distribution and economic development. The specific objectives are to: (i) identify which land distribution programs/activities contribute to economic development; (ii) investigate the role of stakeholders in land distribution programs that affect the growth of productivity; and (iii) assess the deficiencies of current land distribution policies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to explore how economic development theories contribute to decreasing income inequality. This paper provides an overview of land distribution history and the main economic development theories. It also highlights the links between land distribution and the main elements of economic development. Finally, it provides a comparative review of the most recent empirical works regarding the characteristics, limitations, and potential (mutual) effects of land distribution and economic development settings on developing countries worldwide.

Highlights

Land plays a central role in the economies of developing nations; it is a significant asset for most people, and agricultural products make up a large portion of national incomes [1]
The specific objectives are to: (i) identify which land distribution programs/activities contribute to economic development; (ii) investigate the role of stakeholders in land distribution programs that affect increases in productivity; and (iii) assess the deficiencies of land distribution policies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America in order to explore how economic development theories contribute to decreasing income inequality
This study shows that land distribution programs that subscribe to unbiased land distribution are methods to induce the transformation from a poor and vulnerable society to an improved, skill-based economy in which agriculture plays an insignificant role [24]

Summary

Introduction

Land plays a central role in the economies of developing nations; it is a significant asset for most people, and agricultural products make up a large portion of national incomes [1]. Most of the problems mentioned above in the developing world emerge from unequal land-ownership distribution, which results in a skewed distribution of social power and income [2]. The existence of a mutual effect between unequal land distribution and economic development could have implications on the significance of land inequality in the dissimilar development paths that countries follow [5]. Land reform aims to change the institutional structure of the relations between humans and land by intervening in the dominant ownership, control, and use of land. The distribution of land has the same meaning and relates to land reforms involving the amendment of land-ownership laws, regulations, or customs.

Objectives

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion