Research on Displaced Farmers in China

Author: Liao Xiaojun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: This book is guided by Marxism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, and the Important Thought of "Three Represents." By analyzing the experiences and lessons from different historical periods in China regarding the relationship between farmers and land, it examines the current situation of landless farmers in China, the causes of this issue, and domestic and international experiences in addressing it. The book proposes a policy framework to solve China's current landless farmer problem from three aspects: reforming the rural land system, improving the land expropriation compensation mechanism, and strengthening the social security system for landless farmers. In addition to the introduction, which primarily elaborates on the research objectives, theoretical foundation, structural system, and research methods, the book is divided into four parts and eight chapters:
Part I: Theoretical Analysis (Chapters 1-2). Starting with the characteristics and role of land, it analyzes the changes in the relationship between land and farmers during modernization and the current state of this relationship in China. It points out that properly managing the relationship between farmers and land is crucial for solving rural, agricultural, and farmer issues. Although the expropriation of farmers' land and the creation of landless farmers are inevitable phenomena in eliminating the economic dual structure and promoting modernization, land is the fundamental production material and livelihood base for farmers. Only by conscientiously handling land expropriation compensation and addressing the current landless farmer issue can China advance modernization under stability and security.
Part II: Historical Analysis (Chapters 2-3). Chapter 2 analyzes the evolution of the relationship between farmers and land in slave society, feudal society, semi-feudal and semi-colonial society, and after the founding of New China until the reform and opening-up. It elaborates on the characteristics of these changes and points out that historically, whether farmers had land and the balance of land ownership were critical issues determining public sentiment and political stability. Chapter 3 primarily examines China's socio-economic development in the early stages of reform and opening-up, analyzing the new changes in the relationship between farmers and land brought by the household responsibility system and dual management system, as well as the land expropriation issues during industrialization and urbanization. It points out that adapting to the requirements of productive forces and continuously improving the relationship between farmers and land are essential paths for promoting China's economic and social development. During China's modernization process, the expropriation of farmers' land and the creation of landless farmers are inevitable. Only by carefully analyzing the shortcomings in land expropriation and the situation of landless farmers can targeted solutions be found to properly manage the relationship between farmers and land and address the current landless farmer issue.
Part III: Empirical Analysis (Chapters 4-5). Chapter 4 focuses on an empirical analysis of the current situation of landless farmers. It points out that during industrialization and urbanization, most landless farmers not only lose land but also jobs, housing, social security, and collective assets. They especially lose the low-cost lifestyle and development model that sustain farmers' survival and growth, yet they do not benefit from land appreciation. Landless and unemployed without social security become "three-no" individuals—landless, jobless, and without social security. The causes of the landless farmer issue are comprehensive, with the imperfect rural land system and land expropriation system being the main reasons. The current rural collective land property rights are unclear, and farmers are completely passive in land expropriation, with their rights unsecured. Expropriation compensation standards do not reflect land transaction prices or labor displacement losses, while the expropriation scope is too broad, the scope of public interest is excessively expanded, and chaos arises in the allocation, use, and management of land compensation funds. Additionally, the lack of specific regulations and standards for landless farmer resettlement are consequences of the imperfect land expropriation system. Chapter 5 primarily examines the empirical analysis of solving the landless farmer issue in different regions domestically and internationally. It first analyzes the enclosure movement in early British industrialization, pointing out that from a purely economic perspective, the enclosure movement illustrates a fundamental economic principle: the appropriate concentration of land and the shift of land use from agriculture to non-agricultural industries, which detach part of the agricultural population from the land and transform them from rural areas to cities, from agriculture to urban citizens and industrial workers, is an inevitable path for developed countries to advance urbanization and industrialization. Some domestic regions have carefully and properly handled the relationship between industrialization, urbanization, and protecting the interests of landless farmers. For example, some regions have implemented development-based resettlement for landless farmers, adopting methods such as "land reservation and centralized resettlement, comprehensive development and construction," land rights equity, and the transfer of rural collective construction land use rights, allowing farmers to benefit from land appreciation during industrialization and urbanization and providing them with relatively long-term sustainable security. Some regions have combined social security work with labor re-employment, implementing "land for social security" projects to ensure landless farmers enjoy social security equal to urban residents. They have also strengthened labor skills training for landless farmers to enhance their re-employment and entrepreneurship capabilities. Through empirical analysis, it is proposed from both theoretical and practical perspectives that solving the landless farmer issue requires reforming the rural land system, improving the land expropriation compensation mechanism, and strengthening the social security system, ensuring coordinated development between modernization and the conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural use.
Part IV: Policy Research (Chapters 6-8). Chapter 6 discusses the relationship between land system reform and solving the current landless farmer issue. It points out that the root cause of the landless farmer issue lies in the deficiencies in the rural land property rights system. To fundamentally solve the current landless farmer issue, it is essential to respect the collective land property rights of farmers and grant them the legal status they deserve. Land rights for rural collective land should be legally defined, including the rights of farmers to occupy, use, derive income from, dispose of, and transfer land. A rural land system that benefits the protection of farmers' rights, farmland, and sustainable economic and social development should be gradually established. The land expropriation system should be further improved, with the scope of "public interest" clearly defined, and a system implemented for expropriating land for public use and collecting land for commercial use. Continuous exploration of grassroots democracy should be carried out, granting farmers equal negotiation rights in land expropriation, allowing them to participate in land expropriation negotiations as independent legal entities, gradually achieving a system based on law and rules, reducing uncertainty and arbitrariness in land property rights operations, and preventing severe infringement on the ownership of expropriated land.
Chapter 7 discusses the relationship between land expropriation compensation and solving the current landless farmer issue. Drawing on the experience of land expropriation compensation in developed Western countries, it points out that compared to other countries in the world, China's land expropriation compensation has long been limited in scope, with few items and low standards. It is necessary to establish scientific and reasonable compensation standards and improve land expropriation compensation methods, providing economic compensation to farmers from the perspective that land serves as both a production material and a social security function. Land expropriation compensation should consider the economic compensation for farmers' land property rights and provide corresponding compensation for the appreciation of land value after its use changes. Land expropriation legal and policy systems should be further strengthened, and mechanisms for policy consultation and legal aid should be improved to promote the legalization of land expropriation compensation.
Chapter 8 discusses the relationship between strengthening the social security system and solving the current landless farmer issue. Drawing on the experience of social security systems in countries around the world, it points out that the principle of "adapting to local conditions and classified guidance" should be adhered to, expanding the coverage of social security for landless farmers based on the gaps in economic and social development levels between different regions and the needs and of landless farmers, following the principle of classified and layered security. The management methods for the old-age insurance and basic living security of landless farmers should be improved, and basic social security projects such as medical insurance and maternity insurance should be established as soon as possible and gradually integrated into the urban-rural integrated social security system, allowing landless farmers to enjoy social security equal to urban residents in terms of livelihood sources, employment arrangements, and children's education, facilitating their integration into urban life and participation in urban development and construction. Diversified funding methods should continue to be improved, adhering to the principle of "one-third from collective land compensation fees, one-third from individual resettlement fees, and one-third from land transfer revenue," establishing a social security fund for landless farmers. Enhancing the re-employment and entrepreneurship capabilities of landless farmers and protecting their right to development should be key aspects of social security work, striving to transform landless farmers from farmers to urban residents and industrial workers, improving their ability to develop and get rich, and achieving sustainable security through enhanced self-development capabilities.