The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand.

The recent wave of subdivision of Maasai group ranches is not an isolated event, but rather part of a broader, historical process of transformation in land relations and policy development in Maasailand. Maasai have over time supported land privatization, first by formalizing collective rights in gr...

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Main Author: Mwangi, Esther
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Cambridge University Press 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172162
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author Mwangi, Esther
author_browse Mwangi, Esther
author_facet Mwangi, Esther
author_sort Mwangi, Esther
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The recent wave of subdivision of Maasai group ranches is not an isolated event, but rather part of a broader, historical process of transformation in land relations and policy development in Maasailand. Maasai have over time supported land privatization, first by formalizing collective rights in group ranches and more recently by individualizing collective land holdings. Privatization is perceived to be an effective strategy for safeguarding Maasai land claims against appropriation by non-Maasai, the government and elite Maasai. Construction of the Uganda railway in early twentieth century and the subsequent influx of European settlers who were granted individual title to secure their investments are events that began the institutional path of privatization. The persistence and dominance of individualized arrangements regardless of other more optimal property rights options is a result of the dominance of elite interests (supported by state institutions) even as state imposed institutions replaced Maasai customary systems of land allocation.
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spelling CGSpace1721622025-02-19T14:02:54Z The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand. Mwangi, Esther farms privatization land ownership collective farms gender property rights devolution state intervention The recent wave of subdivision of Maasai group ranches is not an isolated event, but rather part of a broader, historical process of transformation in land relations and policy development in Maasailand. Maasai have over time supported land privatization, first by formalizing collective rights in group ranches and more recently by individualizing collective land holdings. Privatization is perceived to be an effective strategy for safeguarding Maasai land claims against appropriation by non-Maasai, the government and elite Maasai. Construction of the Uganda railway in early twentieth century and the subsequent influx of European settlers who were granted individual title to secure their investments are events that began the institutional path of privatization. The persistence and dominance of individualized arrangements regardless of other more optimal property rights options is a result of the dominance of elite interests (supported by state institutions) even as state imposed institutions replaced Maasai customary systems of land allocation. 2006-08 2025-01-29T12:59:28Z 2025-01-29T12:59:28Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172162 en Limited Access Cambridge University Press Mwangi, Esther. 2006. The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand. Journal of Institutional Economics 2(2): 157-180. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1744137406000324
spellingShingle farms
privatization
land ownership
collective farms
gender
property rights
devolution
state intervention
Mwangi, Esther
The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand.
title The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand.
title_full The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand.
title_fullStr The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand.
title_full_unstemmed The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand.
title_short The footprints of history: path dependence in the transformation of property rights in Kenya’s Maasailand.
title_sort footprints of history path dependence in the transformation of property rights in kenya s maasailand
topic farms
privatization
land ownership
collective farms
gender
property rights
devolution
state intervention
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172162
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