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Land Reforms by Country 2024

  • BCE dates of land reforms in Egypt, Italy, and Greece are shown as having a negative value.
  • For example, "-575" equates to 575 BCE.

50 countries

Country
Year of Reform
Leader of Reform
Ideology or Motivation
Actions Taken
Outcomes
Cambodia
  • 2007-2008
  • Hun Sen
Venezuela
  • 2001-2003
  • Hugo Chávez
  • Social justice, lessening inequality
  • Redistribute government & unused private land to campesinos in need
  • 60K families received land title
Namibia
  • 1990s
  • 2007
  • 1990s: Sam Nujoma
  • 2007: Namibian government
  • 1990s: Addressing land inequality post-independence
  • 2007: Addressing land inequality, promoting black land ownership
  • 1990s: Initiation of land reform plan, redistribution from whites to blacks
  • 2007: Redistribution of 12% of total commercial farmland to black citizens
  • 1990s: Legislation passed in 1994 with compulsory, compensated approach, slow progress due to constitutional constraints and high land prices
  • 2007: Partial redistribution of land, still significant land inequality persists
Ukraine
  • 1990
  • 2018 onwards
  • 1990: Ukrainian government
  • 2018 onwards: Various governments and officials
  • 1990: Transition from collective farms to private ownership, deter speculation
  • 2018 onwards: Compliance with European Court of Human Rights ruling, economic growth potential
  • 1990: Distribution of arable land to Ukrainian farmers, imposition of ban on sales of farmland, restrictions on land use as collateral
  • 2018 onwards: Pledges and initiatives to lift ban on sales of farmland, debates and brawls in parliament over land reform legislation
  • 1990: Ban on sales of farmland prevents government from selling additional hectares, restrictions similar to those in China and North Korea
  • 2018 onwards: Passage of legislation lifting ban on sales of agricultural land, gradual lifting of restrictions from July 2021 onwards, average land price per hectare reaches 40000 hryvnias by 2023
Peru
  • 1988-1995
  • Hernando de Soto and the Institute for Liberty and Democracy
Brazil
  • 1985-1990
  • José Sarney
Nicaragua
  • 1979-1990
  • Sandinista government
  • Questionably lawful land redistribution
  • Nationalized or confiscated significant amounts of land. During the final months of Sandinista rule in 1990, the government distrubuted large portions of nationalized/confiscated land to prominent Sandinistas, in an action later named the Piñata Plan
  • After their loss in the 1990 elections, most of the Sandinista leaders held most of the private property and businesses that had been confiscated and nationalized by the FSLN government. This situation was tolerated by the new government, led by Violeta Chamorro.
Australia
  • 1976-2004
  • Various
  • Social justice, historic justice to indigenous Australians
  • Several laws giving land rights to Aboriginals
  • Large lands have been returned to Aboriginals
Afghanistan
  • 1975
  • 1978
  • 1975: Republic of Afghanistan
  • 1978: Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA)
  • 1975: Addressing inequities in land tenure conditions
  • 1978: Addressing mortgage debts and land redistribution
  • 1975: Issuance of Land Reform Law, limits on individual holdings, expropriation of surplus land, compensation mechanism, priority for redistribution.
  • 1978: Issuance of Decree No. 6 cancelling mortgage debts, reduction of maximum landholdings, establishment of priority categories for land redistribution
  • 1975: Program postponed due to various factors including nominal land division among wealthy families, limited technical data, and organizational challenges
  • 1978: No compensation for expropriated surplus land, priority given to certain categories of farmers for redistributed land
Ethiopia1975
  • DERG
  • Social justice, lessening inequality
  • Nationalization of large estates. Redistribution to peasants
  • End of feudal law, strengthening of peasants
Thailand1975
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Sri Lanka
  • 1972-1974
  • Sirimavo Bandaranaike
  • Distribute land more evenly
  • Land ceiling, redistribution to peasants, many private plantations became state-run.
  • Much land was reclaimed and redistributed. However, overall agricultural productivity on state-run plantations decreased, as the plantations were often poorly managed. Many plantations were re-privatized in the 1980s and 1990s.
Iraq
  • 1970-1982
  • Saddam Hussein
  • 264,400 farmers received grants of land
Colombia
  • 1968-1969
  • lberto Lleras Camargo and Carlos Lleras Restrepo
Paraguay
  • 1963
  • 1989
  • 1963: Paraguayan government
  • 1989: National Federation of Campesinos (FNC)
  • 1963: Limiting the maximum size of landholding, addressing unequal land distribution
  • 1989: Fighting for justice on unequal land distributions, demanding agrarian reform
  • 1963: Creation of the Agrarian Statute, establishment of IBR (Instituto de Bienestar Rural)
  • 1989: Advocacy, mobilization of campesinos, reclaiming acres of land
  • 1963: Laws rarely enforced, IBR unable to effectively address land needs due to limited resources
  • 1989: Ongoing struggle, persistence of campesino movement
Syria1963
  • Ba'ath Party
Chile
  • 1962-1973
  • Jorge Alessandri
  • Social justice, lessening inequality
  • Nationalization of large estates
  • Redistribution to peasants
  • After the 1973 coup, the process was halted and somewhat reversed by market forces
Iran
  • 1962-1971
  • Shah
India1961
  • Hare Krishna Konar, E. M. S. Namboodiripad, and others
  • Economics, modernize the agriculture, end the exploitation of the poor
  • Abolition of rent-collectors, secure land-tenure, land ceiling, consolidate disparate holdings.
  • In parts of India, redistribution of land became more equitable. In other parts, people found loopholes in ceiling laws
Cuba
  • 1959-1963
  • Che Guevara
  • Communism
  • Nationalization of large estates
  • Redistribution to peasants
  • Land ceiling
  • Peasants were given land rights, but these rights are constrained by government production quotas and a prohibition of real estate transactions
Kenya
  • 1954 (approximate)
  • Mau Mau uprising
Bolivia
  • 1953-2006
  • 1953-2006: Víctor Paz Estenssoro, Evo Morales
  • 1953-2006: Social justice, expanding indigenous rights
  • 1953-2006: Abolished forced peasantry labor. Distribute rural property of traditional landlords to indigenous peasants Organized peasants into armed militias
  • 1953-2006: By 1970, 45% of peasant families had received title to land. The reform goes on
Vietnam
  • 1953-1956
  • 1970
  • 1953-1956: Hồ Chí Minh
  • 1970: Nguyen Van Thieu
  • 1953-1956: Communism, break the power of the traditional village elite
  • 1970: Social welfare, gain support from rural population during the Vietnam war.
  • 1953-1956: Landlords were murdered by government and land redistributed to peasants.
  • 1970: Land ceiling, land redistribution with compensation to previous landlords
  • 1953-1956: Thousands were killed, and 1 million people fled to the South
  • 1970- Land was redistributed, but law became meaningless 5 years later with the fall of Saigon.
Guatemala
  • 1953-1954
  • Juan José Arévalo, Jacobo Árbenz
  • Social justice, lessening inequality
  • Expropriation of land, redistribution to peasants
  • The reform itself was successful, but a later US-backed coup reversed it entirely
Taiwan
  • 1950s
  • Chiang Monlin, Y.C. James Yen
  • Modernization, community development
  • Established the JCRR, agricultural development programs, co-operative formation, rural credit programs
  • The JCRR (Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction) is credited with laying the agricultural basis for Taiwan's outstanding economic growth in the following decades
Philippines
  • 1946-2014
  • various
  • Social justice, Lessening inequality
  • Land redistribution laws
  • Some lands were distributed to landless peasants, but agricultural production suffered.
North Korea
  • 1946
  • 1954-1958
  • 1946: North Korean Provisional People’s Committee, Workers' Party of North Korea 1954-1958: Workers' Party of Korea government
  • 1946: Abolish existing landlord system, redistribute land
  • 1954-1958:Transition to collective farming
  • 1946: Expropriation of Japanese and Korean landlords' estates, distribution to farmers
  • 1954-1958:Progressive phases of collectivization, cooperative ownership
  • 1946: Redistribution of land, creation of self-defense forces, preparation for Korean War
  • 1954-1958:Majority of farmland under cooperative ownership, consolidation of farms
Albania
  • 1946
  • 1958-1962
  • 1991
  • 1946: Post-WW2 government
  • 1958-1962: Enver Hoxha
  • 1991: Post-communist government
  • 1946: Social justice, lessening inequality
  • 1958-1962: Communism, collectivization drive
  • 1991: Privatization, allow private property
  • 1946: Constitutional reforms
  • 1946: Land to the tiller
  • 1946: Disallowed large estates
  • 1958-1962: Most agricultural lands were shifted to Soviet-style collective and state farms.
  • 1991: Arable land held in cooperatives
  • 1991: State-owned farms were equally distributed among rural households
  • 1946: By 1954, more than 90% of land was held in small and mid-sized farms.
  • 1958-1962: By 1971, independent family farms had virtually disappeared
  • 1991: Land was privatized
South Korea
  • 1945-1950
  • US Military Govt., Korean authorities
  • Retain private property, redistribute land
  • Confiscation of Japanese-owned land, Korean landholders divestment
  • Creation of independent family proprietors, redistribution of land
Czech Republic1940
  • During the Holocaust in Slovakia, the 1940 Land Reform Act confiscated and nationalized 101,423 hectares (250,620 acres) of land owned by 4,943 Jews in what was then Czechoslovakia.
Zimbabwe
  • 1930
  • 1979
  • 1992
  • 2000
  • 1930: Southern Rhodesia govt.
  • 1979: Robert Mugabe
  • 1992: Zimbabwe govt.
  • 2000: Zimbabwe govt.
  • 1930: Segregation, land control
  • 1979: Addressing land inequality
  • 1992: Speeding up land reform
  • 2000: Accelerating land redistribution
  • 1930: Enacted Land Apportionment Act
  • 1979: "Willing buyer, willing seller" plan
  • 1992: Enacted Land Acquisition Act
  • 2000: Constitutional amendment
  • 1930: Concentration of land among white minority
  • 1979: Settlement of black families on former white-owned land
  • 1992: Slow progress, acquisition of poor-quality land
  • 2000: Seizure of white-owned farmlands, severe economic disruptions
Latvia1920
  • Republic of Latvia
Estonia
  • 1919 and 1991
South Africa
  • 1913
  • 1991
  • 1994
  • 2000
  • 1913: South African government
  • 1991: F. W. de Klerk
  • 1994: African National Congress
  • 2000: South African Government
  • 1913: Segregation, forced removals, land control
  • 1991: Repealing apartheid laws
  • 1994: Addressing land inequality post-apartheid, restitution, land redistribution
  • 2000: Decentralization, integrated development planning
  • 1913: Natives' Land Act of 1913 prohibits new farming operations, sharecropping by blacks
  • 1991: Repeal of apartheid laws including the Natives' Land Act, passing the Abolition of Racially Based Land Measures Act
  • 1994: Initiation of land reform process focusing on restitution, land tenure reform, and land redistribution
  • 2000: Review and change of redistribution and tenure process to decentralized area-based planning
  • 1913: Segregation and forced removals, consolidation of land ownership among white settlers
  • 1991: Legal removal of racially discriminatory land laws, paving way for more equitable land policies
  • 1994: Shift from restitution to redistribution, introduction of willing buyer-willing seller approach
  • 2000: Introduction of local integrated development plans in 47 districts, aiming for more effective land reform
China
  • 1911-1940s
  • 1947
  • Mid-1950s
  • Late 1970s
  • Since 1998
  • 1911-1940s: Sun Yat-sen, Nat. govt.
  • 1947: Chinese Communist Party
  • Mid-1950s: Chinese Communist Party
  • Late 1970s: Chinese government
  • Since 1998: Chinese government
  • 1911-1940s: Equal land distribution
  • 1947: Land reform campaigns
  • Mid-1950s: Collectivization, then reversal
  • Late 1970s: Re-introduction of HRS
  • Since 1998: Land policy reforms
  • 1911-1940s: Partial implementation, US-funded programs
  • 1947: Control in North China villages
  • Mid-1950s: Compulsion into collectives, later reversion
  • Late 1970s: Return of land to farmers, stagnation
  • Since 1998: Positive impacts on urban use, revenue inc.
  • 1911-1940s: Some redistribution, establishment of programs
  • 1947: Establishment of control
  • Mid-1950s: Mixed results, return to household system
  • Late 1970s: Stagnation due to redistribution system
  • Since 1998: Mixed results, emergence of social issues
Japan
  • 1873
  • 1947
  • 1873: Meiji Government
  • 1947: Allied Powers, Japanese government
  • 1873: Establish private land ownership, reform land taxation
  • 1947: Emancipation of farming land
  • 1873: Farmers measure land, submit taxes; government adjusts values
  • 1947: Purchase land from landlords, resell to farmers at low prices
  • 1873: Resentment, riots; tax rate lowered; eventual implementation
  • 1947: Redistribution of land, dismantling landlord power structure
Canada1873
Ireland
  • 1870-1922
  • William Ewart Gladstone, UK government
  • Social justice, historic justice to Irish natives
  • Land transfer from large English landlords to their Irish tenants, funded by UK government
  • By 1922, more than 90% of lands had been transferred
Mexico
  • 1856-1910
  • 1910-1940
  • 1856-1910: Miguel Lerdo, Porfirio Díaz
  • 1910-1940: Álvaro Obregón, Lázaro Cárdenas
  • 1856-1910: Liberalism and economics
  • 1910-1940: Social justice, decentralization
  • 1910-1940: Lessening inequality
  • 1856-1910: Forced sale of corporately held property, specifically lands held by the Catholic Church and indigenous communities.
  • 1910-1940: Allocate land to peasants in need of it
  • 1856-1910: Changed the nature of land tenure in Mexico. Most native-owned land was acquired by large estates. 95% of villages lost their lands.
  • 1910-1940: Reversed the process of land concentration, reduced the power and legitimacy of the landlord class. Much land was allocated to peasants. Production increased.
Germany
  • 1763-1859
  • Prussian reforms
Russia
  • 1763-1850
  • 1861
  • 1906-1916
  • 1917
  • 1989-2001
  • 1763-1850: various
  • 1861: Alexander II
  • 1906-1916: Stolypin
  • 1917: Lenin
  • 1989-2001: GorbachevYeltsinPutin
  • 1763-1850: Modernize the state by improving the peasants' conditions
  • 1861: Enlightenment Liberate peasants
  • 1906-1916: Encourage private property and capitalism
  • 1917: Abolish private property
  • 1989-2001: Allow private property
  • 1763-1850: Freedom to peasants from serfdom dutiesEnable serfs to become free landlords
  • 1861: Freedom to peasants; subsidized purchase of their lands
  • 1906-1916: Liquidize communal villages
  • 1906-1916: Divide lands to individual peasants
  • 1917: Private ownership of land was prohibited
  • 1989-2001: Private ownership of land was re-allowed in several stages
  • 1763-1850: nobles bought much more land than peasants
  • 1861: More than 23 million people received their liberty, but many of them received land insufficient for survival 1861-and became proletariat
  • 1906-1916: Private land holdings increased, but reforms were reversed after Soviet revolution
  • 1917: Private land holdings increased, but reforms were reversed after Soviet revolution
  • 1989-2001: Private ownership gradually increased, but became centralized into the hands of Russian oligarchs
Sweden1757
Finland1757
France
  • 1720-1793
  • Victor Amadeus II
  • Economics, increase royal income, weaken the nobility
  • Freedom to peasants, abolish serfdom duties, confiscate lands from lords
  • All estates were at least partially emancipated
Austria
  • 1680-1790
  • 1849
  • 1680-1790 - Maria Theresa and Joseph II
  • 1849 - Constituent Assembly
  • 1680-1790: Enlightenment, liberate peasants
  • 1680-1790: Increase tax revenues
  • 1849: Enlightenment, liberate peasants
  • 1680-1790: Freedom to peasants
  • 1680-1790: Abolish serfdom duties
  • 1849: Freedom to peasants; subsidized purchase of their lands
  • 1680-1790: Nobles did not cooperate and laws were not enforced
  • 1849: Feudal law abolished, but most land remained concentrated with the nobles
United Kingdom
  • 17th century
  • 19th-20th century
  • Current
  • 17th century: Diggers
  • 19th-20th century: John Stuart Mill, Alfred Russel Wallace, Jesse Collings
  • Current: Labour Land Campaign, Green Party of England and Wales, Scottish Green Party
  • 17th century: Addressing land ownership inequality
  • 19th-20th century: Advocacy for land value tax, promoting land reform
  • Current: Advocacy for land value tax, community land ownership
  • 17th century: Advocacy for communal land ownership, challenging feudal system
  • 19th-20th century: Promotion of land value tax as a means of reform, support for policies promoting fairer land distribution
  • Current: Promotion of land value tax, support for community land ownership, lobbying for legislative changes
  • 17th century: Limited impact on land ownership structure, but laid groundwork for future reform movements
  • 19th-20th century: Promotion of ideas, influencing later land reform movements
  • Current: Increased awareness and discussion of land reform issues, legislative changes allowing for community right to buy, compulsory sale orders for vacant land
United States
  • Post-Civil War
  • 1865
  • Late 19th century
  • 1934
  • Post-Civil War: African Americans, Union Army officials
  • 1865: William Tecumseh Sherman, Congress
  • Late 19th century: US government
  • 1934: US government
  • Post-Civil War: Erasing slave-oriented social order, reparations
  • 1865: Addressing land distribution among freed slaves
  • Late 19th century: Assimilation of Native Americans into white American culture, opening lands for commerce
  • 1934: Recollectivization of tribal land
  • Post-Civil War: Various efforts to acquire land, including forceful occupation, collective buying, and squatting.
  • 1865: Issued Field Order 15, dividing coastal land into 40-acre plots
  • Late 19th century: Passed the Dawes Act, dividing tribal land into individual allotments
  • 1934: Most tribal land recollectivized
  • Post-Civil War: Limited success in acquiring land due to political opposition, varied and short-lived efforts
  • 1865: Order rescinded by President Johnson, majority of land returned to previous owners
  • Late 19th century: Decrease in Indian-owned land, most surplus land sold to white settlers
  • 1934: Tribal land ownership restored, albeit significantly reduced compared to pre-Dawes Act levels
Egypt
  • -1500
  • -720
  • 1952-1961
  • -1500: Joseph
  • -720: Bakenranef
  • 1952-1961: Nasser
  • -1500: Monarchism, strengthen Pharaoh
  • -720: Social justice, help the peasants
  • 1952-1961: Social justice, lessening inequality
  • -1500: Nationalization
  • -1500: Joseph bought all lands for Pharaoh
  • -720: Freedom to peasants
  • -720: Land alienability
  • -720: Debt annulment 1952-1961: Land redistribution
  • -1500: Egyptian peasants became serfs of Pharaoh
  • -720: Bakenranef murdered, reforms undone
  • 1952-1961: 15% of arable land redistributed; reforms undone after change of government
Greece
  • -575
  • -560
  • -244 to -227
  • -575: Solon -560: Peisistratos
  • -244 to -227: Agis IV,Cleomenes III
  • -575- Stabilization, help the poor, prevent an uprising -560- Centralization, help the poor, strengthen the tyrant -244 to 227: Centralization, help the poor, strengthen the army
  • -575: Freedom to peasants, debt annulment, forbid slavery of Athenians -560: Land redistribution from rich to poor
  • -244 to -227: Land redistribution, debt annulment
  • -575: Poverty somewhat alleviated
  • -560: Athenian aristocracy weakened, poverty somewhat reduced
  • -244 to -227- Reformer kings murdered by opponents, reforms undone
Italy
  • -133 to -121
  • 1773-1865
  • -133 to -121: Gracchi brothers 1773-1865: various
  • -133 to -121: Social Justice, help the landless soldiers
  • 1773-1865: Enlightenment, liberate the peasants and strengthen the king
  • -133 to -121: Land redistribution, enforcement of land ceiling law
  • 1773-1865: Nationalize noble lands, reduce duties of peasants to landlords, abolish private landlord armies, distribute common lands to poor peasants
  • -133 to -121: Reformer tribunes murdered by Senate, reforms undone
  • 1773-1865: The rich bought most lands and became richer, the Sicilian Mafia was born

What are some examples of successful land reform?

The Chilean land reform under President Frei continued under Allende. South America saw land reforms under Spanish rule that existed only to produce food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources