Abstract
Labor productivity is a major component of agricultural development. Boserup is the scholar most associated with the view that labor productivity declines with intensification of agriculture. This paper reviews the theoretical argument and empirical support for the decline thesis. An empirical test is conducted by means of a comparative study of traditional rice agriculture in Southeast Asia. The decline thesis is rejected. The implications for agricultural development are discussed.
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Hunt, R.C. Labor Productivity and Agricultural Development: Boserup Revisited. Human Ecology 28, 251–277 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007072120891
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007072120891