Review by Choice Review
In this volume, an outgrowth of the author's PhD thesis, Zhou (Univ. of Florence) develops a model of land tenure that he claims will solve the problem of inefficient land use in countries in monsoon Asia. He proposes a system in which owners have land share rights but cannot physically withdraw land from productive use. He argues that such a system of land ownership not only can be applied to monsoon Asia but to all countries of the world, both developing and developed. The book takes both an institutional and political economy approach and thus should appeal to some development economists as well as political economists. As such, it lacks the mathematical rigor commonly encountered in economic models. The author also claims that his proposed model will deal effectively with environmental concerns generated by the current land tenure system, e.g., desertification resulting from insufficient production activities on land owned by absentee landowners or occupied by tenants. A major weakness of the book lies in its form, as exhibited by a writing style that does not flow smoothly, errors in printing, and redundancies. Not recommended for undergraduate academic collections. M. Q. Dao Eastern Illinois University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
