ABSTRACT
One may wonder why the land question is such a critical issue in China’s development. The reason is simple: development is all about the basic means of production-land, labor and capital-and the ways we change and use them. When Mao Zedong rose to power in China in 1949, land reform, class struggle and nationalization of the means of production were the order of the day. Six decades later, however, China has restructured its centrally planned economy, privatized ownership of many sectors, and created a competitive, market economy. However, in contrast to capital and labor, both of which have largely been privatized, land is still firmly under state control. It is therefore not surprising that it is at the core of the policy debates and social struggles that will shape the nation’s future.
