IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/ehsrev/v63y2010i2p418-451.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The colonial roots of land inequality: geography, factor endowments, or institutions?

Author

Listed:
  • EWOUT FRANKEMA

Abstract

Land inequality is one of the crucial underpinnings of long‐run persistent wealth and asset inequality. This article assesses the colonial roots of land inequality from a comparative perspective. The evolution of land inequality is analysed in a cross‐colonial multivariate regression framework complemented by an in‐depth comparative case study of three former British colonies: Malaysia, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. The main conclusion is that the literature tends to overemphasize the role of geography and to underestimate the role of pre‐colonial institutions in shaping the colonial political economic context in which land is (re)distributed from natives to colonial settlers.

Suggested Citation

  • Ewout Frankema, 2010. "The colonial roots of land inequality: geography, factor endowments, or institutions?," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 63(2), pages 418-451, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ehsrev:v:63:y:2010:i:2:p:418-451
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2009.00479.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0289.2009.00479.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1468-0289.2009.00479.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giovanni Federico, 2005. "Introduction to Feeding the World: An Economic History of World Agriculture, 1800-2000," Introductory Chapters, in: Feeding the World: An Economic History of World Agriculture, 1800-2000, Princeton University Press.
    2. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    3. Easterly, William, 2007. "Inequality does cause underdevelopment: Insights from a new instrument," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 755-776, November.
    4. Leamer, Edward E. & Maul, Hugo & Rodriguez, Sergio & Schott, Peter K., 1999. "Does natural resource abundance increase Latin American income inequality?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 3-42, June.
    5. Greif,Avner, 2006. "Institutions and the Path to the Modern Economy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521480444, September.
    6. Anonymous, 1955. "Food and Agriculture Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(1), pages 160-164, February.
    7. Anonymous, 1950. "Food and Agriculture Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 126-128, February.
    8. Anonymous, 1950. "Food and Agriculture Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(3), pages 479-480, August.
    9. Domar, Evsey D., 1970. "The Causes of Slavery or Serfdom: A Hypothesis," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 30(1), pages 18-32, March.
    10. Anonymous, 1950. "Food and Agriculture Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(4), pages 671-672, November.
    11. Ernesto Talvi & Pablo Serra & Nancy Birdsall & Howard Pack & Andrés Solimano & Barbara Stallings & Michael Gavin & Richard H. Sabot & Nora Lustig & Humberto Petrei & Sebastián Edwards & Ricardo Hausma, 1997. "Pathways to Growth: Comparing East Asia and Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 65998 edited by Nancy Birdsall & Frederick Jaspersen, February.
    12. Talvi, Ernesto & Serra, Pablo & Birdsall, Nancy & Pack, Howard & Solimano, Andrés & Stallings, Barbara & Gavin, Michael & Sabot, Richard H. & Lustig, Nora & Petrei, Humberto & Edwards, Sebastián & Hau, 1997. "Pathways to Growth: Comparing East Asia and Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 377.
    13. Easterly, William & Levine, Ross, 2003. "Tropics, germs, and crops: how endowments influence economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 3-39, January.
    14. repec:idb:brikps:65998 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Anonymous, 1955. "Food and Agriculture Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 420-421, August.
    16. Anonymous, 1950. "Food and Agriculture Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(2), pages 313-314, May.
    17. Anonymous, 1960. "Food and Agriculture Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(3), pages 460-462, July.
    18. Anonymous, 1955. "Food and Agriculture Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(4), pages 534-540, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. James Fenske, 2013. "Does Land Abundance Explain African Institutions?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 123(12), pages 1363-1390, December.
    2. Natalia Brzezina & Birgit Kopainsky & Erik Mathijs, 2016. "Can Organic Farming Reduce Vulnerabilities and Enhance the Resilience of the European Food System? A Critical Assessment Using System Dynamics Structural Thinking Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-32, September.
    3. Georgina Milne & Andrew William Byrne & Emma Campbell & Jordon Graham & John McGrath & Raymond Kirke & Wilma McMaster & Jesko Zimmermann & Adewale Henry Adenuga, 2022. "Quantifying Land Fragmentation in Northern Irish Cattle Enterprises," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, March.
    4. Sanchirico, James N. & Smith, Martin D., 2003. "Trophic Portfolios In Marine Fisheries: A Step Towards Ecosystem Management," 2003 Annual meeting, July 27-30, Montreal, Canada 22191, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    5. Blasiak, Robert, 2015. "Balloon effects reshaping global fisheries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 18-20.
    6. Arnade, Carlos & Grigsby, Elaine, 1988. "Foreign Borrowing and Agricultural Trade of Major Latin American Debtors," Staff Reports 278010, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    7. Kwabena Asiama & Rohan Bennett & Jaap Zevenbergen, 2019. "Towards Responsible Consolidation of Customary Lands: A Research Synthesis," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-22, October.
    8. Nwaobi, Godwin, 2013. "The Economics of Climate Change and Science of Global Warming Debate:African Perspectives," MPRA Paper 46807, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Rojko, Anthony S. & Regier, Donald W. & O'Brien, Patrick & Coffing, Arthur L. & Bailey, Linda, 1978. "Alternative Futures for World Food in 1985: Volume 1, World GOL Model Analytical Report," Foreign Agricultural Economic Report (FAER) 146876, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    10. Paul D'Arcy, 2014. "The Lawless Sea? Policy Options for Voluntary Compliance Regimes in Offshore Resource Zones in the Pacific," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(2), pages 297-311, May.
    11. Leones, Julie P. & Rozelle, Scott, 1991. "Rural Household Data Collection in Developing Countries: Designing Instruments and Methods for Collecting Farm Production Data," Working Papers 128161, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    12. Sun, Ke & Zhang, Jihong & Lin, Fan & Ren, Jeffrey S. & Zhao, Yunxia & Wu, Wenguang & Liu, Yi, 2020. "Evaluating the influences of integrated culture on pelagic ecosystem by a numerical approach: A case study of Sungo Bay, China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 415(C).
    13. Rao, Xudong, 2014. "Land Fragmentation with Double Bonuses -- The Case of Tanzanian Agriculture," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 169436, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    14. Soares, Rodrigo R. & Assunção, Juliano J. & Goulart, Tomás F., 2012. "A note on slavery and the roots of inequality," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 565-580.
    15. Neetz, Roger E., 1970. "Eastern Europe's Agricultural Development and Trade: Patterns and Perspectives," Foreign Agricultural Economic Report (FAER) 145299, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    16. Mathias, Karangwa, 2010. "The Effect of Land Fragmentation on the Productivity and Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Maize Farms in Southern Rwanda," Research Theses 243457, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    17. Christensen, Raymond P., 1970. "Economic Progress of Agriculture in Developing Nations 1950-68," Foreign Agricultural Economic Report (FAER) 145135, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    18. Shukun Wang & Dengwang Li & Tingting Li & Changquan Liu, 2021. "Land Use Transitions and Farm Performance in China: A Perspective of Land Fragmentation," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-22, July.
    19. Pierre Damien Ntihinyurwa & Walter Timo de Vries, 2021. "Farmland Fragmentation, Farmland Consolidation and Food Security: Relationships, Research Lapses and Future Perspectives," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-39, January.
    20. Unknown, 1953. "Supplement to Major uses of Land in the United States," Technical Bulletins 156648, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:ehsrev:v:63:y:2010:i:2:p:418-451. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ehsukea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.