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Propertyless in Peru, Even with a Government Land Title

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  • Carrie B. Kerekes
  • Claudia R. Williamson

Abstract

This article investigates the ability and process of government land titling as a method to achieve secure property rights institutions. Specifically, we analyze the impact of government land titling in rural Peru. Our findings suggest that land titling does not achieve the positive benefits associated with secure property, such as access to credit. We also find that individuals prefer private enforcement methods of securing property to public means. This suggests that government land titling is not always a channel through which countries can achieve secure property rights institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Carrie B. Kerekes & Claudia R. Williamson, 2010. "Propertyless in Peru, Even with a Government Land Title," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(3), pages 1011-1033, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ajecsc:v:69:y:2010:i:3:p:1011-1033
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1536-7150.2010.00734.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Harris,Colin & Cai,Meina & Murtazashvili,Ilia & Murtazashvili,Jennifer Brick, 2020. "The Origins and Consequences of Property Rights," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108969055, January.
    2. Cai,Yongyang & Selod,Harris & Steinbuks,Jevgenijs, 2015. "Urbanization and property rights," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7486, The World Bank.
    3. A. Patrick Behrer & Edward L. Glaeser & Giacomo A. M. Ponzetto & Andrei Shleifer, 2021. "Securing Property Rights," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(4), pages 1157-1192.
    4. Patricia Clarke Annez & Bijal Bhatt & Bimal Patel, 2017. "What Getting Legal Land Title Really Means," Review of Market Integration, India Development Foundation, vol. 9(1-2), pages 1-26, April.
    5. Benito Arruñada, 2017. "How to make land titling more rational," Economics Working Papers 1575, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised Jan 2018.
    6. Leeson, Peter T. & Harris, Colin, 2018. "Wealth-destroying private property rights," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 1-9.
    7. Azadi, Hossein & Vanhaute, Eric & Janečková, Kristina & Sklenička, Petr & Teklemariam, Dereje & Feng, Lei & Witlox, Frank, 2020. "Evolution of land distribution in the context of development theories," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    8. Ilia Murtazashvili & Jennifer Murtazashvili, 2015. "Anarchy, self-governance, and legal titling," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 287-305, March.
    9. Bogliacino, Francesco & Posso, Christian & Villaveces, Marta Juanita, 2025. "Restoring property rights: The effects of land restitution on credit access," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    10. Cai, Meina & Murtazashvili, Ilia & Murtazashvili, Jennifer, 2020. "The politics of land property rights," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(2), pages 151-167, April.
    11. Ilia Murtazashvili & Jennifer Murtazashvili, 2019. "The political economy of legal titling," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 32(3), pages 251-268, September.
    12. Craig Palsson & Seth Porter, 2025. "The inefficacy of land titling programs: homesteading in Haiti, 1933–1950," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 203(1), pages 277-303, April.
    13. repec:jpe:journl:1707 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Franklin Obeng-Odoom, 2016. "Understanding Land Reform in Ghana," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 48(4), pages 661-680, December.
    15. van der Zon, Marieke & de Jong, Wil & Arts, Bas, 2023. "Community enforcement and tenure security: A fuzzy-set qualitative Comparative analysis of twelve community forest management initiatives in the Peruvian Amazon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    16. Perry Ferrell, 2019. "Titles for me but not for thee: transitional gains trap of property rights extension in Colombia," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 95-114, January.
    17. Wolde, Akalu Assfaw & Bertacchini, Enrico, 2025. "Forest property rights within community forests and their role in enhancing economic well-being in rural Ethiopia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).

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