Agrarian Transformation and Areal Differentiation in Globalizing Southeast Asia

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The study group consisting of 13 Japanese area specialists and four overseas collaborators has executed this project for three years (2000〜2002). Shifting the focus from one to the other along with major research items set for at the beginning, we have undertaken field studies and workshops, including International Symposium in the third year. The final report consists of four parts, namely Social Changes under Colonial Administration, Modernization Policies, Transformation of Societies in Rural and Urban Areas, and Areal Differentiation as a reflection of Social Changes.Since the interpretation or assessment of agrarian transformation varies extensively, there will not to be much to say as conclusion. Followings are only things we may say as common understandings. Firstly, peasant society we witnessed in 1960s was not the one that had traditionally existed without much change, but the one that had largely transformed during colonial time. Secondly, the most dynamic transformation in the post-war period had occurred after the mid-1960s due mainly to the green revolution and subsequent commercialization of agriculture. It bought about an emergence of large market for agricultural supplies and services, to which local grain traders and financiers responded promptly and grew as new rural elite. Thirdly, implementation of modernization programs has dislocated many peasants from their villages. Majority of them went to urban area in anticipation of getting employments. The rest went to mountain areas for securing land to till. Fourthly, rural economy is structurally in transition. Rural household economy had shifted or broadened its income source from farm to non-farm sector.