Property Entitlements and Land Reform in Upland Thai Catchments

Abstract

This paper draws upon recent conceptual advances concerning property entitlements, particularly as these relate to common-pool resources, and the complex bundle of opportunities for collective and collaborative management in upland catchments. A processual view of collective and collaborative action is the way in which interests are expressed as claims and ultimately translated into entitlements which specify rights to streams of benefits, and associated duties, in relation to a particular resource complex.Social and bureaucratic institutions will influence the way in which stakeholders can participate and interact in this process.Soft systems methodology was used as a guide for a process aimed at identifying mutually beneficial improvements in management between village, agency and commercial stakeholders. The collective and collaborative actions which have developed are all cases whereby particular bundles of property entitlements and related duties have been defined through a process of the expression of claims and identification of mutually beneficial arrangements. These have included local collective management of a water supply, partnerships relating to elements of conservation and production within the local agroecosystem, and socially legitimate patronage to support formal protocols of the land reform process.

Pragmatist philosophy and soft systems in an upland Thai catchment

“…Previously, I have discussed this application in terms of an institutionalist perspective as to economic method when approaching complex situations with a range of stakeholders and worldviews (Attwater, 1996), and a processual view of property entitlement given the social and ecological context (Attwater, 1997).…”

Land Reforms and Economic Development

“…Platteau (1992), Attwater (1997), Deininger andFeder (1998), andFearnside (2001) stress the importance of the role played by well-defined property rights and identify the advantages of some communally owned property. Finally, new types of land reform are discussed by Banerjee (1999), Deininger (1999), and Besley and Burgess (2000).…”

“…There are also a vast number of empirical studies reviewing historical land reforms and their outcomes [see Deininger and Feder (1998); Alston et al (1999Alston et al ( , 2000; Deininger (1999); Díaz (2000); Fearnside (2001); Benjamin and Brandt (2002)]. Platteau (1992), Attwater (1997), Deininger and Feder (1998), and Fearnside (2001) stress the importance of the role played by well-defined property rights and identify the advantages of some communally owned property. Finally, new types of land reform are discussed by Banerjee (1999), Deininger (1999), and Besley and Burgess (2000).…”

Commons in Theory: Assumed Commons in Practice

“…Property is a three-way relationship between the holder of the property entitlements, the particular resource complex and the collective, state or social norm, which gives legitimacy to the entitlements (Attwater, 1997). The resources are generally held under any one of the three property regimes: Private Property, State Property and Communal Property.…”