New Books in Economics

Michael Albertus, "Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies" (Basic Books, 2025)

Feb 11, 2025

Michael Albertus, a political science professor at the University of Chicago and author of several influential books, discusses the profound impact of land ownership on societal structures. He illustrates how historical land reallocations have shaped inequality, oppression, and even environmental crises. Albertus highlights colonial histories, the dynamics of land power in different cultures, and how contemporary issues, like climate change, demand urgent reforms in land rights. Understanding these factors could redefine societal futures.

40:25

Episode guests

Michael Albertus

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Quick takeaways

Land ownership profoundly influences societal structures, determining inequalities and life opportunities as illustrated by contrasting experiences in Peru.

The historical and ongoing Great Reshuffle of land ownership highlights its role in redefining social hierarchies and community dynamics across various societies.

Deep dives

The Foundation of Land Power

Land serves as a critical foundation for political, economic, and social structures within societies. Its ownership can greatly influence the life trajectories of individuals, as demonstrated through contrasting case studies from Peru, highlighting a woman bound to servitude and a senator benefiting from land policies. The stark differences in their experiences underline how the dynamics of land ownership not only dictate subsistence but also shape broader societal inequalities. This exploration emphasizes that land is far more than a mere resource; it shapes identities and life opportunities throughout human history.

Intro

6min

The Great Reshuffle of Land Power

7min

Colonization and the Complexities of Land Ownership

4min

Land Ownership and Power Dynamics

14min

Navigating Land Power in the Face of Climate Change

6min

For millennia, land has been a symbol of wealth and privilege. But the true power of land ownership is even greater than we might think. In Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies (Basic Books, 2025), political scientist Michael Albertus shows that who owns the land determines whether a society will be equal or unequal, whether it will develop or decline, and whether it will safeguard or sacrifice its environment.

Modern history has been defined by land reallocation on a massive scale. From the 1500s on, European colonial powers and new nation-states shifted indigenous lands into the hands of settlers. The 1900s brought new waves of land appropriation, from Soviet and Maoist collectivization to initiatives turning large estates over to family farmers. The shuffle continues today as governments vie for power and prosperity by choosing who should get land. Drawing on a career’s worth of original research and on-the-ground fieldwork, Albertus shows that choices about who owns the land have locked in poverty, sexism, racism, and climate crisis—and that what we do with the land today can change our collective fate.

Michael Albertus is professor of political science at the University of Chicago. The author of four previous books, his writing has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, and elsewhere. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.

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