Agrarian Reform in the Philippines: Democratic Transitions and Redistributive Reform

This book evaluates the capacity of new democratic regimes to promote redistributive agrarian reform, an issue of concern to developing countries throughout the world. The author analyses the problems caused by political liberalisation and social and economic reform by examining in detail the formulation and implementation of agrarian reform in the Philippines under the governments of Corazon Aquino and her successor, Fidel Ramos. He reveals how the interaction between state and society shapes policy decisions, showing that what is needed for successful agrarian reform is a combination of sustained, forceful political leadership and grassroots agitation by peasant organisations. The author concludes that the new Philippine democracy has proved more conducive to redistributive reform than the authoritarian Marcos regime but has still failed to implement the more controversial and costly elements of the reform policy.