Global project 931-0111 · 1963–1987 · University of Wisconsin at Madison

The evolution of agricultural institutions in Venezuela began with the first designation of agriculture as a problem area for public policy. Despite instability in the political arena, stability and continuity have prevailed for economic policy. In 1900 Venezuela typified a stagnant and traditionally oriented economy in a primarily rural society. During the next 20 years of internal tranquility the economy did not improve. The oil industry (1920) replaced agriculture as the most important income. Gross national income increased sharply. Commercial growers prospered. After 1930 agricultural exports dropped severely and by 1935 agriculture was in serious difficulties. The new government made agricultural and rural reform top priority matters. In the forties 3 agrarian reform laws were passed. In the fifties government hardly changed, ignoring the existence of widespread poverty in favor of large commercial farms and the oil industry. The Agrarian Reform Law of 1960 attempted to improve conditions in traditional agriculture by redistributing land and developing socioeconomic programs for the campesinos. It is difficult to tell whether the reform has increased incomes among peasants by

Source: DEC abstract, PN-AAA-105 (1972). This is the source's own text, not a cited summary of the documents.