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Land Tenancy and Economic Efficiency : Selection of Ownership Structure of Agricultural Land in pre-modern China

Zhao, Liang LU and Long, Denggao (2012) In Journal of Cambridge Studies 7(1).
Abstract
One dominant economic concept in China states that yeomanry is the most efficient and equitable land tenure system while tenancy system not only causes landlord to exploit tenant farmers but also leads to low production efficiency. However, this paper questions the arguments for a yeomanry system. Appling the theory of optimal ownership structure on farms, this paper discusses the total surpluses of different land ownership structures, yeomanry, wage contract, tenancy (share contract and fixed rental contract), and argues that the optimal land ownership structure can vary with the optimal operational scale, technological development, land quality, market development, etc. Quantitative analysis shows that in pre-modern China, higher tenancy... (More)
One dominant economic concept in China states that yeomanry is the most efficient and equitable land tenure system while tenancy system not only causes landlord to exploit tenant farmers but also leads to low production efficiency. However, this paper questions the arguments for a yeomanry system. Appling the theory of optimal ownership structure on farms, this paper discusses the total surpluses of different land ownership structures, yeomanry, wage contract, tenancy (share contract and fixed rental contract), and argues that the optimal land ownership structure can vary with the optimal operational scale, technological development, land quality, market development, etc. Quantitative analysis shows that in pre-modern China, higher tenancy rates appear in places with more developed markets, lower transportation costs, larger operational scale of land and smaller average ownership scale of land. In the comparison
between tenants and yeomen of pre-modern China, tenancy economy shows its advantage in many aspects, such as production scale and profits. Reasons of tenancy’s advantage are then discussed with the support of some cases. (Less)
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keywords
Tenancy system, Economic efficienc, Yeoman, Tenant farmer
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Journal of Cambridge Studies
volume
7
issue
1
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
0131f48e-0ef3-4a6b-ba34-164e62d59e8c
date added to LUP
2023-02-23 17:56:51
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2023-02-27 14:40:32
@article{0131f48e-0ef3-4a6b-ba34-164e62d59e8c,
  abstract     = {{One dominant economic concept in China states that yeomanry is the most efficient and equitable land tenure system while tenancy system not only causes landlord to exploit tenant farmers but also leads to low production efficiency. However, this paper questions the arguments for a yeomanry system. Appling the theory of optimal ownership structure on farms, this paper discusses the total surpluses of different land ownership structures, yeomanry, wage contract, tenancy (share contract and fixed rental contract), and argues that the optimal land ownership structure can vary with the optimal operational scale, technological development, land quality, market development, etc. Quantitative analysis shows that in pre-modern China, higher tenancy rates appear in places with more developed markets, lower transportation costs, larger operational scale of land and smaller average ownership scale of land. In the comparison <br/>between tenants and yeomen of pre-modern China, tenancy economy shows its advantage in many aspects, such as production scale and profits. Reasons of tenancy’s advantage are then discussed with the support of some cases.}},
  author       = {{Zhao, Liang and Long, Denggao}},
  keywords     = {{Tenancy system; Economic efficienc; Yeoman; Tenant farmer}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  series       = {{Journal of Cambridge Studies}},
  title        = {{Land Tenancy and Economic Efficiency : Selection of Ownership Structure of Agricultural Land in pre-modern China}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/138732813/5.Land_Tenancy_and_Economic_Efficiency_Selection_of_Ownership_Structure_of_Agricultural_Land_in_pre_modern_China.pdf}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}