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Evolution of Land Distribution in West Bengal 1967-2004: Role of Land Reform and Demographic Changes

Author

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  • Pranab Bardhan

    (University of California, Berkeley)

  • Michael Luca

    () (Harvard Business School, Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit)

  • Dilip Mookherjee

    () (Department of Economics, Boston University)

  • Francisco Pino

    (Université Libre de Bruxelles)

Abstract

This paper studies how land reform and population growth affect land inequality and landlessness, focusing particularly on indirect effects owing to their influence on household divisions and land market transactions. Theoretical predictions of a model of household division and land transactions are successfully tested using household panel data from West Bengal spanning 1967-2004. The tenancy reform lowered inequality through its effects on household divisions and land market transactions, but its effect was quantitatively dominated by inequality-raising effects of population growth. The land distribution program lowered landlessness but this was partly offset by targeting failures and induced increases in immigration.

Suggested Citation

  • Pranab Bardhan & Michael Luca & Dilip Mookherjee & Francisco Pino, 2014. "Evolution of Land Distribution in West Bengal 1967-2004: Role of Land Reform and Demographic Changes," Harvard Business School Working Papers 14-066, Harvard Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:hbs:wpaper:14-066
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Clément Bellet, 2017. "Essays on Inequality, Social Preferences and Consumer Behavior," Sciences Po publications info:hdl:2441/vbu6kd1s68o, Sciences Po.
    3. Sonia Bhalotra & Abhishek Chakravarty & Dilip Mookherjee & Francisco J. Pino, 2019. "Property Rights and Gender Bias: Evidence from Land Reform in West Bengal," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(2), pages 205-237, April.
    4. Aldashev, Gani & Guirkinger, Catherine, 2017. "Colonization and changing social structure: Evidence from Kazakhstan," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 413-430.
    5. Jean-Paul Faguet & Fabio Sánchez & Marta-Juanita Villaveces, 2015. "Land Reform, Latifundia and Social Development at Local Level in Colombia, 1961-2010," Documentos CEDE 012569, Universidad de los Andes - CEDE.
    6. Kurosaki, Takashi & Parinduri, Rasyad & Paul, Saumik, 2016. "Evaluating Efficiency Gains from Tenancy Reform Targeting a Heterogeneous Group of Sharecroppers: Evidence from India," CEI Working Paper Series 2016-10, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    7. Besley, Timothy & Leight, Jessica & Pande, Rohini & Rao, Vijayendra, 2016. "Long-run impacts of land regulation: Evidence from tenancy reform in India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 72-87.
    8. Shunji Oniki & Melaku Berhe & Koichi Takenaka, 2020. "Efficiency Impact of the Communal Land Distribution Program in Northern Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 12(11), pages 1-1, May.
    9. Guirkinger, Catherine & Platteau, Jean-Philippe, 2019. "The dynamics of family systems: lessons from past and present times," CEPR Discussion Papers 13570, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. 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).
    11. Gani Aldashev & Catherine Guirkinger, 2016. "Colonization and Changing Social Structure: Kazakhstan 1896-1910," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2016-10, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    12. Camila Uribe Mejía, 2014. "Bancarización y Empoderamiento Femenino," Documentos CEDE 011001, Universidad de los Andes - CEDE.
    13. Clément Bellet & Eve Sihra, 2016. "Less Food for More Status: Caste Inequality and Conspicuous Consumption in India," Sciences Po publications 56, Sciences Po.
    14. Hawley, Zackary & Miranda, Juan José & Sawyer, W. Charles, 2018. "Land values, property rights, and home ownership: Implications for property taxation in Peru," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 38-47.
    15. Bhattacharya, Prasad S. & Mitra, Devashish & Ulubaşoğlu, Mehmet A., 2019. "The political economy of land reform enactments: New cross-national evidence (1900–2010)," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 50-68.
    16. Eve Sihra, 2017. "Consumption, Social Interactions and Preferences," Sciences Po publications info:hdl:2441/1ej8deo44v9, Sciences Po.
    17. Souksavanh VIXATHEP & Phanhpakit ONPHANHDALA & Phaythoune PHOMVIXAY, 2013. "Land Distribution and Rice Sufficiency in Northern Laos," GSICS Working Paper Series 27, Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    inequality; land reform; household division; land markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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