Land reform and rural poverty reduction : comparing state-led and market-led approaches

Abstract

Persistent rural poverty continues to pose a significant problem for development in the 21st century. Despite the general consensus that a more equitable distribution of land is needed in order to rapidly reduce poverty, there is no agreement on which method is best for achieving this goal. The purpose of this thesis is to determine which approach to land reform - state-led or market-led - is more likely to reduce poverty levels by comparing the outcomes of past and recent land policies. The author argues that, whereas market-led strategies have failed to demonstrate any benefits for the poor in terms of transferring wealth or securing access to land, state-led land reforms based on the expropriation and redistribution of private property have managed to significantly reduce poverty relatively quickly.