keskiviikko 4. maaliskuuta 2009

Role of land and property in urban development

The 1898 Kiaochow Land and Tax Stature by Sun Yat-Sen illustrates well the relationship between property, markets and the state. There the land reform was seen as a central means of a social reform, this being carried out – although rather strange it may seem - by liberalizing the definition of property value. As the land owners were granted the right to define the value of their properties, the markets “punished” the property owner if they sold too cheaply; on the other hand, the state taxed heavily if the property was valued too highly.

In the growth machine theory by Harvey Molotch cities are seen as actors aiming to maximize the profit in land use. Land and real estates are in this theory understood as a central strategic commodity in cities. This metaphor has been used, referred to and cited when motivating city policies of various kind. The growth machinery notion of cities is nevertheless not only a reference but also descriptive of city planning practices and strategic actions especially at earlier stages of urbanization.

In Zimbabwe the strategic role of land property is certainly apparent. As there some 50% of agricultural land was owned by the white commercial farmers still in 1980, the land legislation introduced by the Zanu PF regime had led into notable rearrangements in land use and habitation. The president Mugabe even used the motto “land is the economy and economy is the land” as his motto when running for re-election in 2002.

The land was used by the ruling Zanu party as a reward for its loyals and as a means of punishment for disloyals, according to the Kriger article. As the agricultural land was used as a means to build a strong party network in the countryside, this meant that the disloyal to the regime moved to the cities to large extent. As the land arrangements excluded all urban land, this has led to urban poverty as the recent urban settlers couldn’t acquire any land.

In India, the central government had with its taxation and import policies since the 1950 helped to create economical void in commercial centers, such as Mumbai (Bombay by that time). The strict import restrictions led to lack of availability of consumer’s goods, this need answered by black market enterprising, namely the local mob (OCG).

The OCG:s (organized crime groups) were also largely involved with local governance by bribery and in local property markets. The properties were seen a good means for money-laundering and also a good means to have a say in local albeit informal governance.

Ei kommentteja:

Lähetä kommentti