Revolution, Reform, Conservatism: Three Types of Agrarian Structure

Latin America had a population of 199 million in 1960, according to a United Nations estimate. Of this total, 108 million or 54 per cent live in rural areas, and of these 2812 million are economically active.

All rural dwellers who are economically active have family and social responsibilities, but almost all of them are underemployed and many are victims of seasonal unemployment. Their income is extremely low, and considerable numbers of them live only on the margin of money economy. Generally speaking, they work the soil in a primitive or almost primitive fashion. The average percentage of rural Latin America is around 80; but vast areas have no schools at all and an illiteracy rate of 100 per cent.

Indians form some...