Political economy of agricultural policy in Colombia: from Law 200 of 1936 to the 2016 Peace Agreement

Abstract

This research studies agrarian policy in Colombia and its relationship with the conflict between peasants and landowners, around rural productive assets. The discussion on access to land is approached and each one of the national development plans is examined, to elaborate a historical traceability of the agrarian policy in Colombia during the period 1936-2016. The research problem stems from the persistence of poverty and social marginalization of the rural population, identified in the rural mission and recognized in the 2016 peace agreement. It is concluded that the historical configuration of the State was incorporating the interests of the economic and political power structures of each moment. When the State wanted to resolve the conflict over land, the executive capacity of the institutions was limited and distorted by the dominant interest groups who had the advantage of writing the laws and applying them according to their preferences. For this reason, the socioeconomic conditions of the peasants continue to be similar to those they had a century ago.