Peasant societies in the Third World have undergone changes that are often regarded as sweeping and unparalleled; rapid population growth, progressive integration into the market economy and a Green Revolution in agricultural technology. This book is a critical examination of the truth behind these stereotypes. Twenty-one specialists in the field of development studies look at the reality of agrarian change, either through historical analysis, or through in-depth village field-work, or from their experience as development planners. The first four chapters provide the historical context of...