ABSTRACT
The chapter adds impetus to living ideas in the 21st century by providing theoretical and empirical contributions through a sociological analysis of Zimbabwe’s land reform from the standpoint of Marxism. Such an approach is unique and addresses a lacuna in interrogating Zimbabwe’s land reform – the absence of social theory in analysing the motivations, processes and outcomes of land reform. The chapter is informed by the authors’ fieldwork, based on qualitative-dominant mixed-methods research and secondary sources. Applying Marxism to land reform in Zimbabwe and other parts of the Global South addresses the socio-structural causes of inequality, exclusion and poverty in land tenure and pushes an agenda for policy that is crystallised around equality and equity. Addressing problems pertaining to land reform (and agriculture) is essential, given the centrality of land to governance and development. Reflections on Marxism and decolonisation are important in pursuit of these goals. Marxism is not without shortcomings, including economic determinism, radical approach and changes in context rendering some aspects not wholly applicable, and so forth. However, its strengths outweigh the weaknesses.
