Land Reform in Bolivia

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Land Reform in Bolivia
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(No Transcript)
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Demographics

• Bolivian population 9,119,152 (July 07 est.)
• Ethnic groups
• Quechua 30
• Mestizo (mixed white Amerindian ancestry) 30
• Aymara 25
• White 15

CIA The World Factbook Bolivia
https//www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world
-factbook/geos/bl.html
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Employment

• Labor force
• 4.793 million (2006 est.) (while having a
  population of 9.119 million)
  
• Unemployment rate
• 8 in urban areas widespread underemployment
  (2006)
  
• GDP composition by sector
• Agriculture 14.5
• Industry 30.5
• Services 55 (2006 est.)

CIA The World Factbook Bolivia
https//www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world
-factbook/geos/bl.html
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Bolivias economy

• Natural resources
• Tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten,
  antimony, silver,iron, lead, gold, timber,
  hydropower
  
• Agriculture - products
• Soybeans, coffee, cocoa, cotton, corn, sugarcane,
  rice, potatoes, timber
  
• Industries
• Mining, smelting, petroleum, food beverages,
  tobacco, handicrafts, clothing
  

CIA The World Factbook Bolivia
https//www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world
-factbook/geos/bl.html
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Household income consumption by share
Chile Household income or consumption by percent
age share Lowest 10 1.4 Highest 10 45 (2
003) Population below poverty line 18.2 (200
6 est.) Peru Household income or consumption
by percentage share Lowest 10 1.3 Highest 1
0 40.9 (2003) Population below poverty line
44.5 (2006 est.)

• Bolivia
• Household income or consumption by percentage
  share
  
• Lowest 10 0.3
• Highest 10 47.2 (2002)
• Population below poverty line
• 60 (2006 est.)

CIA The World Factbook Bolivia, Chile, Peru
https//www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world
-factbook/geos/bl.html
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Brief History of Bolivia

• Pre-Columbian Civilizations (600-1532)
• Aymara kingdoms
• Based on systems of extended family and tribal
  farming cooperatives.
  
• In around 1460, the Incas conquered the Aymara.
• Incan had a socially rigid pyramid structure of
  classes that exploited agriculture.
  
• Land was held in common and prohibited to be
  sold.
  
• Incas royal class had monopolies over the forest,
  mines, and herds and flocks.
  
• The harvest was divided into three parts Inca
  and ruling caste, the priests, and the ayllu
  agricultural cooperatives.
  

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Brief History of Bolivia (cont.)

• Spanish Colonial Rule (1532-1809)
• Mineral wealth such as silver and mercury
  deposits in parts of Bolivia such as Potosi
  attracted the Spaniards.
  
• 1600s 1800s Mining dominated the colonial
  economy.
  
• Spanish aristocrats lived in comfort, while
  massive amount of Indians lived in poverty.
  
• Encomienda a colonial institution that served
  to consolidate the conquest by granting the
  possession of land tracts and the power to
  administer the inhabitants of the territories to
  
• Loyal adelantados (Spanish governors of
  provinces)
  
• Solider of the crown
• Mitas a system of forced tribute labor by the
  Indians that assured the crown abundant free
  labor for state private enterprises

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Brief History of Boliva (cont.)

• Encomienda mitas
• developed into harsh system of colonial control
• exploited the Indians turning them into mere serf
  labor
  
• landowners eventually gained ownership of Indian
  communal lands
  
• exert complete command of Indians labor.
• Encomienda was originally intended for only 1 or
  2 generations
  
• But, by the 18th century it became outright land
  grants
  
• Encomiendas were gradually replaced by large
  haciendas of land privately owned by a wealthy
  colonial aristocracy
  
• while Indians were turned into massive class of
  serfs sharecroppers
  
• permitted to use small subsistence plot in
  exchange for a portion of the harvest and their
  labor to the landlord (hacendado).
  
• Landowning system
• represented a feudal or semifeudal society
• hacendado exercised complete political, social,
  economic power, often harshly
  

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Brief History of Boliva (cont.)

• Aug. 6, 1825 became the official date of
  independence creation of the Republic of Bolivia

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Unequal Land Distribution

• Estimated 110 million hectares ( 1 hectare is
  2.47 acres) of potentially productive land
  
• 70 in the hands of 400 individuals who claim
  over 100,000 hectares each
  
• 25 in the hands of mid to large sized
  agricultural producers
  
• 5 of agricultural land are in the hands of the
  poor
  

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Land to be distributed

• In May 2006 Morales launched its land reform
  program
  
• Morales presented land titles for 3 million
  hectares to 60 indigenous communities and groups
  
• 2.5 million rural poor will receive title to 20
  million hectares over five years
  
• Constitutes about 13 of Bolivia's land being
  given to about 28 of the people
  

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Land conflict in the eastern region

• Fear government will reclaim land
• Program enraged huge landowners
• Pledge to form self defense groups
• Concerned of widespread migration of land
  recipients from the west to Santa Cruz