State, peasantry and resettlement in Zimbabwe

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Review of African Political Economy

Volume 21, Issue 61

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State, peasantry and resettlement in Zimbabwe

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Author(s): Jocelyn Alexander ^a

Publication date (Print): September 1994

Journal: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

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Abstract

The end of minority rule in Zimbabwe seemed to herald dramatic changes in agrarian and local government policies, as well as in official attitudes towards the rural areas more generally: the newly elected ZANU(PF) government promised a dramatic decentralisation and democratisation of government structures and a large scale redistribution of land. This article assesses the extent to which the promises of independence were met. It stresses the importance of the political context of debates over agrarian change — the constraints of a negotiated independence, the political clout of commercial farmers, the ruling party's own political agenda and economic interests — and focuses on change in the institutional forums in which debate took place, particularly the extent to which the inherited ideologies and practices of the state bureaucracies charged with formulating and implementing agrarian policies were transformed by decentralisation and majority rule.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): crea20

Journal ID (archive): CREA

Title: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

ISSN (Print): 0305-6244

ISSN (Electronic): 1740-1720

Publication date (Print): September 1994

Volume: 21

Issue: 61

Pages: 325-345

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^a Somerville College , Oxford

Article

Publisher ID: 8704063 Coden ID: Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 21, No. 61, September 1994, pp. 325-345

DOI: 10.1080/03056249408704063

SO-VID: 3258ceaf-9de5-4ab3-9edc-486b612b1d18

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

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Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 53, Pages: 21

Bibliographic Note

Agritex. . 1988. . ‘The Communal Area Reorganisation Programme: Agritex Approach’ . Harare :
Alexander J.. 1991. . ‘The Unsettled Land: The Politics of Land Redistribution in Matabeleland’. . Journal of Southern African Studies . , Vol. 17:: 4
Alexander J.. 1993. . ‘The State, Agrarian Policy and Rural Politics in Zimbabwe: Case Studies of Insiza and Chimanimani Districts, 1940–1990’ . Oxford :
Association of District Councils. . 1986. . Minutes of the Third Annual Congress .
Bratton M.. 1987. . ‘The Comrades and the Countryside: The Politics of Agrarian Reform in Zimbabwe’. . World Politics . , Vol. 39:: 2
Bush R. and Cliffe L.. 1984. . ‘Agrarian Policy in Migrant Labour Societies: Reform or Transformation in Zimbabwe’. . Review of African Political Economy . , : 29
Chavanduka Commission and Government of Zimbabwe. . 1982. . Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Agricultural Industry . , Harare : : Government Printer. .
Cliffe L.. 1986. . ‘Policy Options for Agrarian Reform: A Technical Appraisal’ . , Government of Zimbabwe. .
Cousins B.. ‘Property and Power in Zimbabwe's Communal Lands: Implications for Agrarian Reform in the 1990s’. In: . Land Policy in Zimbabwe After (Lancaster) Conference; . University of Zimbabwe. .
Drinkwater M.. 1988. . ‘The State and Agrarian Change in Zimbabwe's Communal Areas: An Application of Critical Theory’ . , Macmillan. .
Drinkwater M.. 1989. . ‘Technical Development and Peasant Impoverishment: Land Use Policy in Zimbabwe's Midlands Province’. . Journal of Southern African Studies . , Vol. 15:: 2
Gasper D.. 1988. . ‘Rural Growth Points and Rural Industries in Zimbabwe: Ideologies and Policies’. . Development and Change . , : 19
Gasper D.. ‘What Happened to The Land Question in Zimbabwe? Rural Reform in the 1980s’. In: . Institute of Social Studies; . The Hague . . paper presented to EADI General Conference. , Oslo :
Gasper D.. 1991. . “‘Decentralization of Planning and Administration in Zimbabwe: International Perspectives and 1980s Experiences’. ”. In Limits to Decentralization . , Edited by: Helmsing A.. The Hague : : Institute of Social Studies. .
Gonese F.. ‘A Framework for Communal Land Reorganisation in Zimbabwe’. In: . Seminar on Communal Lands Reorganisation; . Harare . .
Government of Zimbabwe. . 1981. . Growth with Equity: An Economic Policy Statement . , Harare : : Government Printer. .
Government of Zimbabwe. . 1982a. . Transitional National Development Plan: 1982/83–1984/85 . , Harare : : Amalgamated Press. .
Government of Zimbabwe. . 1982b. . District Council Handbook, Vol. 1 Administrative . , Harare : : Government Printer. .
Government of Zimbabwe. . 1986. . First Five Year National Development Plan, 1986–1990 . , Vol. Vol. I. , Harare : : Government Printer. .
Government of Zimbabwe. . 1988. . First Five Year National Development Plan, 1986–1990 . , Vol. Vol. II. , Harare : : Government Printer. .
Harare Agrarian Reform Seminar; . Harare . . Department of Rural Development in Collaboration with the FAO. .
Helmsing A.. 1991. . Limits to Decentralization . , The Hague : : Institute of Social Studies. .
Herbst J.. 1990. . State Politics in Zimbabwe . , Harare : : University of Zimbabwe. .
Khadani X.. 1986. . “‘The Economy: Issues, Problems and Prospects’. ”. In Zimbabwe: The Political Economy of Transition . , Edited by: Mandaza I.. Dakar : : Codesria. .
Kinsey B.. 1983. . ‘Emerging Policy Issues in Zimbabwe's Land Resettlement Programmes’. . Development Policy Review . , : 1
Kriger N.. 1992. . Zimbabwe's Guerrilla War: Peasant Voices . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .
Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. . Zimbabwe Conference on Reconstruction and Development (ZIMCORD): Report on Conference Proceedings; . Salisbury : : Government Printer. .
Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rural Development. . 1985. . Communal Lands Development Plan: A 15 Year Development Strategy . Harare :
Ministry of Local Government and Town Planning. . 1985. . Delineation of Village and Ward Development Committee Areas in District Council Areas of Zimbabwe . , Harare : : Government Printer. .
Moyo S.. 1986. . “‘The Land Question’. ”. In Zimbabwe: The Political Economy of Transition 1980–1986 . , Edited by: Mandaza I.. Dakar : : Codesria. .
Moyo S.. 1990. . ‘The Zimbabweanisation of Southern Africa's Agrarian Question: Lessons or Domino Strategems?’ . , Harare : : Zimbabwe Institute of Development Studies. .
Moyo S.. “The Role of Agriculture in Zimbabwe: Some Initial Findings’. In: . Zimbabwe Institute of Development Studies Seminar on Zimbabwe's ESAP; . Kadoma .
Moyo S.. 1989. . ‘Medium and Long Term Prospects for Economic Development and Employment in Zimbabwe: Agriculture’ . , Harare : : Zimbabwe Institute of Development Studies. .
Moyo S. and Skalnes T.. 1990. . ‘Zimbabwe's Land Reform and Development Strategy: State Autonomy, Class Bias and Economic Rationality’ . , Harare : : Zimbabwe Institutue of Development Studies. .
Murapa R.. 1986. . ‘Rural and District Administrative Reformin Zimbabwe’ . , Bourdeaux : : Centre D'Etude D'Afrique Noire. .
Ncube W.. 1991. . “‘Constitutionalism, Democracy and Political Practices in Zimbabwe’. ”. In The One Party State and Democracy: The Zimbabwe Debate . , Edited by: Mandaza I. and Sachikonye L.. Harare : : SAPES. .
Nyanga Symposium and Department of Rural Development in collaboration with the FAO. . 1987. . ‘Report on the National Symposium on Agrarian Reform in Zimbabwe’ . Nyanga :
Palmer R.. 1990. . ‘Land Reform in Zimbabwe, 1980–1990’. . African Affairs . , Vol. 98:: 355
Ranger T.. ‘The Communal Areas of Zimbabwe’. In: . Symposium on Land Reform in African Agrarian Systems; . University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, mss. .
Reynolds N. and Ivy P.. 1984. . “‘Proposals for a National Land Use Programme’. ”. Harare : : Agritex. .
Riddell Commission, Government of Zimbabwe. . 1981. . Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Incomes, Prices and Conditions of Service . , Harare : : Government Printer. .
Scoones I. and Wilson K.. 1988. . “‘Households, Lineage Groups and Ecological Dynamics: Issues for Livestock Research and Development in Zimbabwe's Communal Areas’. ”. In Socio‐Economic Dimensions of Livestock Production in the Communal Lands of Zimbabwe . , Edited by: Cousins B.. Harare : : Centre for Applied Social Studies, University of Zimbabwe. .
Stoneman C.. 1988. . “‘The Economy: Recognizing the Reality’. ”. In Zimbabwe's Prospects: Issues of Race, Class, State and Capital in Southern Africa . , Edited by: Stoneman C.. London : : Macmillan. .
Stoneman C. and Cliffe L.. 1989. . Zimbabwe: Politics, Economics and Society . , New York : : Pinter Publishers. .
Thomas S.. 1991. . ‘The Legacy of Dualism and Decision‐Making: The Prospects for Local Institutional Development in “Campfire”’ . , Harare : : Centre for Applied Social Sciences, University of Zimbabwe. .
Weiner D.. 1988. . “‘Land and Agricultural Development’. ”. In Zimbabwe's Prospects: Issues of Race, Class, State and Capital in Southern Africa . , Edited by: Stoneman C.. London : : Macmillan. .
Weiner D.. 1989. . ‘Agricultural Restructuring in Zimbabwe and South Africa’. . Development and Change . , Vol. 20:: 3
Weiner D.. 1985. . ‘Land Use and Agricultural Productivity in Zimbabwe’. . Journal of Modern African Studies . , Vol. 23:: 2
Weitzer R.. 1984. . ‘In Search of Regime Security: Zimbabwe Since Independence’. . Journal of Modern African Studies . , Vol. 2:: 4
Werbner R.. 1991. . Tears of the Dead: The Social Biography of an African Family . , London : : Edinburgh University Press. .
Whitsun Foundation. . 1983. . Land Reform in Zimbabwe . Harare :
World Bank. . 1985. . Zimbabwe: Land Sector Study .
World Bank. . 1991. . Zimbabwe: Agricultural Sector Memorandum . Vol. Vol. II. ,

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Agritex. . 1988. . ‘The Communal Area Reorganisation Programme: Agritex Approach’ . Harare :

[2] Alexander J.. 1991. . ‘The Unsettled Land: The Politics of Land Redistribution in Matabeleland’. . Journal of Southern African Studies . , Vol. 17:: 4

[3] Alexander J.. 1993. . ‘The State, Agrarian Policy and Rural Politics in Zimbabwe: Case Studies of Insiza and Chimanimani Districts, 1940–1990’ . Oxford :

[4] Association of District Councils. . 1986. . Minutes of the Third Annual Congress .

[5] Bratton M.. 1987. . ‘The Comrades and the Countryside: The Politics of Agrarian Reform in Zimbabwe’. . World Politics . , Vol. 39:: 2

[6] Bush R. and Cliffe L.. 1984. . ‘Agrarian Policy in Migrant Labour Societies: Reform or Transformation in Zimbabwe’. . Review of African Political Economy . , : 29

[7] Chavanduka Commission and Government of Zimbabwe. . 1982. . Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Agricultural Industry . , Harare : : Government Printer. .

[8] Cliffe L.. 1986. . ‘Policy Options for Agrarian Reform: A Technical Appraisal’ . , Government of Zimbabwe. .

[9] Cousins B.. ‘Property and Power in Zimbabwe's Communal Lands: Implications for Agrarian Reform in the 1990s’. In: . Land Policy in Zimbabwe After (Lancaster) Conference; . University of Zimbabwe. .

[10] Drinkwater M.. 1988. . ‘The State and Agrarian Change in Zimbabwe's Communal Areas: An Application of Critical Theory’ . , Macmillan. .

[11] Drinkwater M.. 1989. . ‘Technical Development and Peasant Impoverishment: Land Use Policy in Zimbabwe's Midlands Province’. . Journal of Southern African Studies . , Vol. 15:: 2

[12] Gasper D.. 1988. . ‘Rural Growth Points and Rural Industries in Zimbabwe: Ideologies and Policies’. . Development and Change . , : 19

[13] Gasper D.. ‘What Happened to The Land Question in Zimbabwe? Rural Reform in the 1980s’. In: . Institute of Social Studies; . The Hague . . paper presented to EADI General Conference. , Oslo :

[14] Gasper D.. 1991. . “‘Decentralization of Planning and Administration in Zimbabwe: International Perspectives and 1980s Experiences’. ”. In Limits to Decentralization . , Edited by: Helmsing A.. The Hague : : Institute of Social Studies. .

[15] Gonese F.. ‘A Framework for Communal Land Reorganisation in Zimbabwe’. In: . Seminar on Communal Lands Reorganisation; . Harare . .

[16] Government of Zimbabwe. . 1981. . Growth with Equity: An Economic Policy Statement . , Harare : : Government Printer. .

[17] Government of Zimbabwe. . 1982a. . Transitional National Development Plan: 1982/83–1984/85 . , Harare : : Amalgamated Press. .

[18] Government of Zimbabwe. . 1982b. . District Council Handbook, Vol. 1 Administrative . , Harare : : Government Printer. .

[19] Government of Zimbabwe. . 1986. . First Five Year National Development Plan, 1986–1990 . , Vol. Vol. I. , Harare : : Government Printer. .

[20] Government of Zimbabwe. . 1988. . First Five Year National Development Plan, 1986–1990 . , Vol. Vol. II. , Harare : : Government Printer. .

[21] Harare Agrarian Reform Seminar; . Harare . . Department of Rural Development in Collaboration with the FAO. .

[22] Helmsing A.. 1991. . Limits to Decentralization . , The Hague : : Institute of Social Studies. .

[23] Herbst J.. 1990. . State Politics in Zimbabwe . , Harare : : University of Zimbabwe. .

[24] Khadani X.. 1986. . “‘The Economy: Issues, Problems and Prospects’. ”. In Zimbabwe: The Political Economy of Transition . , Edited by: Mandaza I.. Dakar : : Codesria. .

[25] Kinsey B.. 1983. . ‘Emerging Policy Issues in Zimbabwe's Land Resettlement Programmes’. . Development Policy Review . , : 1

[26] Kriger N.. 1992. . Zimbabwe's Guerrilla War: Peasant Voices . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .

[27] Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. . Zimbabwe Conference on Reconstruction and Development (ZIMCORD): Report on Conference Proceedings; . Salisbury : : Government Printer. .

[28] Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rural Development. . 1985. . Communal Lands Development Plan: A 15 Year Development Strategy . Harare :

[29] Ministry of Local Government and Town Planning. . 1985. . Delineation of Village and Ward Development Committee Areas in District Council Areas of Zimbabwe . , Harare : : Government Printer. .

[30] Moyo S.. 1986. . “‘The Land Question’. ”. In Zimbabwe: The Political Economy of Transition 1980–1986 . , Edited by: Mandaza I.. Dakar : : Codesria. .

[31] Moyo S.. 1990. . ‘The Zimbabweanisation of Southern Africa's Agrarian Question: Lessons or Domino Strategems?’ . , Harare : : Zimbabwe Institute of Development Studies. .

[32] Moyo S.. “The Role of Agriculture in Zimbabwe: Some Initial Findings’. In: . Zimbabwe Institute of Development Studies Seminar on Zimbabwe's ESAP; . Kadoma .

[33] Moyo S.. 1989. . ‘Medium and Long Term Prospects for Economic Development and Employment in Zimbabwe: Agriculture’ . , Harare : : Zimbabwe Institute of Development Studies. .

[34] Moyo S. and Skalnes T.. 1990. . ‘Zimbabwe's Land Reform and Development Strategy: State Autonomy, Class Bias and Economic Rationality’ . , Harare : : Zimbabwe Institutue of Development Studies. .

[35] Murapa R.. 1986. . ‘Rural and District Administrative Reformin Zimbabwe’ . , Bourdeaux : : Centre D'Etude D'Afrique Noire. .

[36] Ncube W.. 1991. . “‘Constitutionalism, Democracy and Political Practices in Zimbabwe’. ”. In The One Party State and Democracy: The Zimbabwe Debate . , Edited by: Mandaza I. and Sachikonye L.. Harare : : SAPES. .

[37] Nyanga Symposium and Department of Rural Development in collaboration with the FAO. . 1987. . ‘Report on the National Symposium on Agrarian Reform in Zimbabwe’ . Nyanga :

[38] Palmer R.. 1990. . ‘Land Reform in Zimbabwe, 1980–1990’. . African Affairs . , Vol. 98:: 355

[39] Ranger T.. ‘The Communal Areas of Zimbabwe’. In: . Symposium on Land Reform in African Agrarian Systems; . University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, mss. .

[40] Reynolds N. and Ivy P.. 1984. . “‘Proposals for a National Land Use Programme’. ”. Harare : : Agritex. .

[41] Riddell Commission, Government of Zimbabwe. . 1981. . Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Incomes, Prices and Conditions of Service . , Harare : : Government Printer. .

[42] Scoones I. and Wilson K.. 1988. . “‘Households, Lineage Groups and Ecological Dynamics: Issues for Livestock Research and Development in Zimbabwe's Communal Areas’. ”. In Socio‐Economic Dimensions of Livestock Production in the Communal Lands of Zimbabwe . , Edited by: Cousins B.. Harare : : Centre for Applied Social Studies, University of Zimbabwe. .

[43] Stoneman C.. 1988. . “‘The Economy: Recognizing the Reality’. ”. In Zimbabwe's Prospects: Issues of Race, Class, State and Capital in Southern Africa . , Edited by: Stoneman C.. London : : Macmillan. .

[44] Stoneman C. and Cliffe L.. 1989. . Zimbabwe: Politics, Economics and Society . , New York : : Pinter Publishers. .

[45] Thomas S.. 1991. . ‘The Legacy of Dualism and Decision‐Making: The Prospects for Local Institutional Development in “Campfire”’ . , Harare : : Centre for Applied Social Sciences, University of Zimbabwe. .

[46] Weiner D.. 1988. . “‘Land and Agricultural Development’. ”. In Zimbabwe's Prospects: Issues of Race, Class, State and Capital in Southern Africa . , Edited by: Stoneman C.. London : : Macmillan. .

[47] Weiner D.. 1989. . ‘Agricultural Restructuring in Zimbabwe and South Africa’. . Development and Change . , Vol. 20:: 3

[48] Weiner D.. 1985. . ‘Land Use and Agricultural Productivity in Zimbabwe’. . Journal of Modern African Studies . , Vol. 23:: 2

[49] Weitzer R.. 1984. . ‘In Search of Regime Security: Zimbabwe Since Independence’. . Journal of Modern African Studies . , Vol. 2:: 4

[50] Werbner R.. 1991. . Tears of the Dead: The Social Biography of an African Family . , London : : Edinburgh University Press. .

[51] Whitsun Foundation. . 1983. . Land Reform in Zimbabwe . Harare :

[52] World Bank. . 1985. . Zimbabwe: Land Sector Study .

[53] World Bank. . 1991. . Zimbabwe: Agricultural Sector Memorandum . Vol. Vol. II. ,

Review of African Political Economy

State, peasantry and resettlement in Zimbabwe

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