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Journal of Political Economy Vol. 110 No. 2 2002

Empowerment and Efficiency: Tenancy Reform in West Bengal

Abhijit V. Banerjee1; Paul Gertler2; Maitreesh Ghatak3

1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology · 2 University of California, Berkeley · 3 University of Chicago

Abstract

The paper analyzes the effect of agricultural tenancy laws offering security of tenure to tenants and regulating the share of output that is paid as rent on farm productivity. Theoretically, the net impact of tenancy reform is shown to be a combination of two effects: a bargaining power effect and a security of tenure effect. Analysis of evidence on how contracts and productivity changed after a tenancy reform program was implemented in the Indian state of West Bengal in the late 1970s suggests that tenancy reform had a positive effect on agricultural productivity there.

DOI
10.1086/338744
Volume
110
Issue
2
Pages
239-280
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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