ABSTRACT

It is important to note, however, that the nationalisation of land and the emigration of settler farmers did not lead to the redistribution of land to the peasantry. That is, no land reform was carried out in this period, and rural dynamising groups were mobilised to prevent the uncontrolled takeover of abandoned settler land. The dominant tendency was, rather, for the state to take over the land with a view to its future consolidation into state farms (and to a much lesser extent - co-operatives). As can be seen in this case the economic policy pursued in this period was responsive not merely to the crisis produced by the colonial bourgeoisie and petty bourgeoisie, but incorporated within this struggle strategic elements concerning the future development of production.