Land reform is the breakup of large landholdings and the redistribution of the land to farmers who have little land or none. Land reform may be carried out by a government or by the leaders of a revolutionary movement. Governments usually undertake land reform to reduce social and political tensions. Revolutionists may favor land reform to gain support for their revolution. Land reform may increase agricultural output by causing the land to be farmed more intensely.
A government may acquire land for redistribution by expropriating it—that is, by taking the land against the will of the owner, sometimes without paying for it. Governments also may buy land from landlords who wish to sell portions of their holdings. Some land reform laws redistribute land by abolishing regulations that limit the peasants’ ability to own or purchase land.
To be successful, land reform often must be accompanied by other measures. These measures include the assurance of indisputable land titles and fair taxes and the provision of technical assistance and affordable loans to poor farmers.
Land reform has been especially important in the less developed countries of Asia and Latin America. In many of these countries, a small number of people have traditionally owned a large percentage of the farmland. In most cases, such a pattern of land ownership originated in past native or colonial systems. However, the pattern may be reinforced by modern technological changes and by political practices that favor people who own large amounts of land.
