The Long Land War: The Global Struggle for Occupancy Rights

In The Long Land War, Jo Guldi explores the global struggle for land rights over the last 150 years, showing how land is a central motor of politics and the basis of movements for reparations, protests, and intellectual battles. She provides a definitive narrative of land redistribution and an unflinching critique of its failures, set against the rise and fall of nationalism, communism, internationalism, information technology, and free-market economics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 600 pages
Publication date: 07 June 2022
Publisher: Yale University Press

The Long Land War is a monumental work of immense scope and profound moral authority, offering a comprehensive account of the evolution and decline of land rights across the globe over the past 150 years. Authored by Jo Guldi, this seminal text delves into the intricate tapestry of a global struggle to ensure access to food, water, and shelter for all. It unveils land as a pivotal force in politics during the twentieth century, serving as the foundation for movements seeking reparations for colonized individuals, protests against exorbitant urban tenant rents, intellectual debates among development scholars, and the unauthorized occupation of land by squatters taking matters into their own hands.

The book meticulously chronicles the outcomes of state-engineered "land reform" policies, which began in Ireland in 1881 and were effectively dismantled by U.S.-led interests and the World Bank in 1974. Through this detailed examination, The Long Land War provides a definitive narrative of land redistribution, while also offering a scathing critique of its shortcomings. Set against the backdrop of the rise and fall of nationalism, communism, internationalism, information technology, and free-market economics, the book explores the complex interplay between property ownership and justice in a rapidly changing world.

In her quest to make the earth habitable for all, Guldi delves into the crucial relationship between property rights and social justice, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities that arise in a world where land ownership and access are increasingly contested. The Long Land War is a profound and thought-provoking exploration of the historical, political, and social dimensions of land redistribution, offering valuable insights into the ongoing struggle for a more equitable and sustainable future.

Dimension: 235 x 156 x 40 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300256680