Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1954

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural Economics

Major Professor

Joe A. Martin

Committee Members

R. G. F. Spitze, J. L. Fischer

Abstract

The term land tenure indicates all those rights given to an individual for operating his property. It explains the manner in which holding is to be exploited, used and enjoyed. It involves control over land resources. It includes all laws and regulations concerned with ownership and management of land.

Land tenure problem plays a great role in social, economic, and political condition of many countries, especially those having a high percentage of their population in agricultural production. This problem has a direct relation to the development of a solid and stable foundation for peace in all Asiatic countries. Security of many Asiatic countries is directly related to their land tenure situation.

Iran is very rich in oil and many other resources; however, its greatest potential lies in the development of its agriculture, and in the emancipation of the great human resources that are heavily tied up with that activity. Through irrigation, expansion of agricultural industries, and introduction of modern techniques of production and distribution agricultural output could be increased tremendously and as such the whole economy would prosper.

Today the present feudal system of land ownership with the lack of education and cultural improvement has caused socio-economic maladjustment throughout Iran.

Iran is predominantly agricultural with 80 per cent of the population involved in agriculture. This great human resource and lack of land has caused many farmers to live under the worst conditions. Iranian farmers are poorly fed, improperly clothed, lack education and sanitation and live in mud huts full of pests and diseases, while landlords live in the cities, where all the facilities of comfort, amusement and luxury are available. Such landlords have not the slightest interest in the affairs and well being of their farmers. As a matter of fact they spend all their efforts to keep the farmers under the same shameful level of living and exploit them more for their own foolish and inhuman interest.

Lately the United States and other countries supporting the Point IV and United Nations' programs have rendered aid to Iran through technical assistance to improve the standard of living of the people. However technical assistance, economic development and capital investment would only increase the number of dams, develop industries and increase the flow of oil and does not remedy the real situation.

The solution to land tenure problem lies in economic and social development programs that are concerned and achieved for one purpose, “the emancipation and welfare of the people."

What is the use of thousands and thousands of dollars of help if it goes to the landlord's pocket and gives him more power to milk the peasants and other low income classes of the society. The aid should be directly handed to the farmer and suppressed person with tbs means to use it.

The root to most of the economic and social problems in the Near East is land tenure. As long as farmers are kept in poverty, servitude, uneducated and under pressure there would be no assurance of unity, stability and progress in the economy and political situation in that area.

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