Agrarian Structure and Labor Mobility in Rural Mexico

This study examines the influences of regional agricultural conditions in four rural zones of Mexico upon the allocation of household labor between farm labor and off-farm labor and, within the latter, between local labor, circular migration, and permanent migration. Both farm income and the capital...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Population and development review 1982-06, Vol.8 (2), p.299-322
Main Author: Roberts, Kenneth D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agrarian/Agrarianism
Agricultural land
AGRICULTURE (INCLUDING HUNTING AND GATHERING)
Crop economics
Crop production
Crops
Farms
Irrigated farming
Labor
Labor mobility
Labor/Labors
Land tenure
Mexico
Mexico/Mexican/Mexicans
MIGRATION, IMMIGRATION AND EMIGRATION
Mobility
Rainfed farming
Rural (see also Ru/Ur)
RURAL AREAS, PEOPLE, ETC
Rural development
Structure/Structures/ Structuring/ Structured
Subsistence farming
Urban agriculture
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Summary:This study examines the influences of regional agricultural conditions in four rural zones of Mexico upon the allocation of household labor between farm labor and off-farm labor and, within the latter, between local labor, circular migration, and permanent migration. Both farm income and the capitalization of agriculture were found to be significant factors determining labor allocation. In Oaxaca, the combination of low farm incomes, primitive agricultural technology, and limited local off-farm opportunities caused permanent migration from the zone, as most migration models would predict. At the same time, commercial agriculture led to low farm-labor inputs in the Bajio and diversification of income sources, including circular migration to the United States, to compensate for increased dependence upon purchased agricultural inputs and consumption goods. Thus, agricultural development may in some circumstances actually foster rather than limit migration.
ISSN:0098-7921
1728-4457
DOI:10.2307/1972988