Rising concern over urban-rural economic disparity in China in the early 2000s spurred a series of policy initiatives to improve people's quality of life in rural areas. A recently launched Rural Land Transition Program in Sichuan Province aims to increase land-use efficiency and rural incomes...

Following the death of Mao in 1976, agrarian decision-making shifted from the collective to individual households, unleashing rapid growth in farm output and unprecedented reductions in poverty. In new data on reform timing in 914 counties, we find an immediate trend break in the fraction of...

Intro -- Contents -- Cover -- Title -- Foreword ix -- Acknowledgments xiii -- Executive Summary xvii -- 1 Introduction 1 -- 2 Property Rights to Land 7 -- 3 Land Transactions 79 -- 4 Fostering Socially Desirable Land Use 133 -- Appendix: Regional Workshops 193 -- Glossary 205 -- References 207...