The book makes an assessment of land reforms carried out in Tamil Nadu through numerous case studies of villages. The aim is to arrive at a general conclusion on the overall effectiveness of land reforms legislation and their implementation in Tamil Nadu, and to suggest methods of improvement.
There is a clear logic behind the contributors' choice of the study of particular villages and the methods of fieldwork they have employed. These are based on patterns of landholding and the historical development of tenancy systems, and aim at producing the most accurate big picture of the situation in the state as a whole.
The book provides a comprehensive lowdown on land reforms and tenancy laws in Tamil Nadu. This includes not just details of the legislation, but the rationale behind them, and the ways in which they have worked over time. The contributors point out the problems with the laws, and outline ways in which they could have been avoided and the legislation made more effective.
