The Ejido in Mexico: An Agrarian Problem

THE EJIDO IN MEXICO: An Agrarian Problem J. Granville Jensen Oregon State College, Corvallis The ejido is "the fniit of the Revolution" initiated by Emiliano Zapata in the fall of 1911. Its concepts were nurtured by injustices and excesses associated with expansion of the great estates, by which a few had come to live in luxurv and power while the munv existed in an economic and social status scarcely better than slavery.1 Thus the oppressed were rallied around the battle crv of "land and liberty"—in essence, the idea that the land belongs to him who works it. Probably no peaceful solution was possible. In any case the agrarian reform, of which the ejido is the main theme, was bom with violence and political animosity which in a measure continues today. The concepts of the agrarian reform, as created in the law of January Ö. 1915, and introduced into the constitution in 1917 as Article 27, are simple The inalienable right of the peasant to agricultural land was affirmed. Lands dispossessed by the expanding estates were to be returned and grants of land made to communities. In short, the former feudal system of the latifundia was cancelled. The legal mechanics of the agrarian reform were developed during tin* first few vears and, with modifications, still apply. The main points of concern here are: (1) OnIv rural communities mav receive land donations. Any such community may petition the government for donations of land to create an ejido. (2) Grants of lands to form an ejido can be given only from properties within seven kilometers radius of the petitioning community . (3) Private owners are permitted to select and retain up to 100 hectares of irrigated land or 200 hectares of nonirrigated land. (4) Pasture and forest lands are utilized as" communal property of the ejido. (5) Water rights are vested in the ejido. (6) Through the community each family head may receive inalienable right to cultivate a specific parcel of land and to the produce of his labor. The right is inherited but may not be divided. Land parcels may not be sold, mortgaged, or rented. If not cultivated for two years, the right is forfeited and the land returned to the community for reassignment. Growth of Ejidos Chiefly because of strong political opposition and lack of leadership dedicated to agrarian reform, changes in land tenure were surprisingly 1 For a review by a contemporary Mexican agricultural leader see: Ramon Fernandez y Fernandez, "La Reforma Agraria Mexicana: Logros y Problemas Derivados," in El Trimestre Económico, Vol. 24, No. 2, April-June 1937, p. 143-159, Mexico City. slow after Article 27 was included in the Constitution. Then in 1934 Lázaro Cardinas rose to the Presidency of Mexico as die strong leader of agrarian reform. The graph, Fig. 1, representing lands definitely granted to ejidos from 1915 to May 1957, shows the vigor with which land donations were made during his six years of office. Since Cardinas, creation of ejidos continues but at a lesser rate. In recent years about half a million hectares have been donated each year. LAND GRANTED TO EJIDOS MILLIONS OF HECTARES CARDENAS 1920 1930 1940 I9S0 I960 Fig.l An illustration of the formation of ejidos at the expense of the large estates is presented in Fig. 2, which shows a selected portion of land in the Toluca Basin west of Mexico City. On the 1936 map die ejido received by the Pueblo de Almoloya de Juarez is shown in black. The largest land area for this ejido was taken from the Hacienda San Martin La Puerta and a small piece from the Hacienda San Isidro. The 1950 map of the same area shows the fragmentation of the hacienda as additional ejidos were authorized by the government. Theoretically, compensation was given for private lands taken for ejidos, but in practice the lands were confiscated apparently with more regard for political connections than for evaluation of land-use. A similar pattern of land division has been accomplished and is continuing throughout Mexico. (O Fig. Importance of Ejidos The graph, Fig. 3, shows the expansion of the ejidos to become the most important single land ownership class in...