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First known land reform in Egypt

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Egyptian farmers turned from free workers to Pharaoh’s serfs, and had to pay 20 percent of their income as a tax to Pharaoh, similar to the concept of ‘chibharo’ in Zimbabwe. However, by the end of 1957, approximately 571 000 acres of land in Egypt was taken over by the government from 1 758 landowners and distributed to about 250 000 peasant families.

IN Africa, the first known land reform took place in 1500 BC. In ancient Egypt in the north of the continent, land-ownership revolved around private, monarch and feudal systems. 

A strong king could take advantage of harsh situations such as famine, buy lands from private owners and make them a property of the crown. 

A weaker king would have to buy services from strong lords by giving them gifts of land. Bhora rembabvu chairo!

This was occasioned in ancient times, during the Old Kingdom of Egypt that began when nomadic clans settled down during the 4th millennium BC, and continued with King Menes who claimed to be the divine owner of all lands in 3000 BC. 

It ended with Pepi II and his weak successors who enabled the rise of feudal lords in 2200 BC.

Two major land reforms are documented in Egypt; one involving land concentration and the other attempting land re-division. 

Circa 1500 BC, shortly after the beginning of the New Kingdom, a land-concentration reform was carried out by Joseph, who became vizier of pharaoh under the name Zaphnath-Paaneah.  

Next, Pharaoh Topharaohhe rose to become the second most powerful man in Egypt where his presence and office caused Israel to leave Canaan and settle in Egypt. 

Genesis 47:13-26:  “And there is no bread over the whole Earth, because the famine is very heavy; and the Land of Egypt and the land of Canaan shrank from the face of the hunger. And Joseph accumulated all the money which is found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan, selling grain that they are purchasing, and Joseph brought the money to the house of Pharaoh. 

And when the money from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph to say: “Give us bread, and why should we die facing you: because we ran out of money.” 

Joseph said: “Bring your herds, and I will give to you for your herds if your money is gone” And they brought their herds to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread on their horses and the herds of sheep and the herds of cattle and the donkeys; and dealt them bread for all their cattle, in that year. 

And that year ended, and they came to him the second year and they said to him: “We will not keep from our lord that the money is finished, and the herds of beasts all to our lord, nothing is left before our lord, other than our expiring bodies and our lands. Why shall we die in your presence, us and our lands buy, buy us and our lands, for bread; and we and our lands will be servants for Pharaoh and give seed and we will live and not die, the land will not be emptied” 

And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, because the Egyptians sold each man his field, because the hunger is clenched upon them tight and the land became Pharaoh’s. 

And the people, he moved to cities, from one end of Egypt until the other. 

Only the land of the priests did he not buy. Because the priests had a share besides Pharaoh’s. 

And they ate the share which Pharaoh had given them, and for this reason they did not sell their lands. 

The farmers of Egypt could not stand a long famine. Joseph suggested to help them, but in return, he bought all their lands. …. And Joseph said to the people, “Since I have bought you and your lands today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you, and seed the land. And it will be reaping season, and you will give a fifth to Pharaoh; and four hand-measures will you get for seeding the land and for eating, and to give to your households and your tots.” and they said, “You have saved our lives: we will be good in the eyes of your lord, and we will be servants to Pharaoh. And Joseph made it a law until this very day, the land of Egypt belongs to Pharaoh, to remove the fifth part only the land of the priests does not belong to Pharaoh.”

As a consequence, Egyptian farmers turned from free workers to pharaoh’s serfs and had to pay 20 percent of their income as a tax to the pharaoh, similar to the concept of ‘chibharo’ in Zimbabwe. 

Towards the end of the New Kingdom of Egypt, circa 720 BC, a land-division reform was attempted by king Bakenranef after capturing the reign in Sais.  King Bakenranef initiated several reforms that brought about real and personal property.  

Under the same laws, he also freed the peasants working upon the great domains.  

He made lands alienable, mortgageable, annulled debts, regulated interest rates, ended corporal punishment and publicised contract codes.

As a result of his reforms, feudal lords and clergy combined to overthrow him. Bakenranef was eventually burnt alive and his reforms were undone. 

In more recent times in Egypt where 18 milllion of the 23 million people, or 73 percent of the population, were engaged in agriculture, the need for land reform was acknowledged by many.  

The problems of the peasants were discussed under King Farouk and earlier regimes.

In 1945, under King Farouk’s regime, an agrarian reform law was proposed but was never implemented.  

Five years later, in 1955, a land reform bill was passed and, the following year, a minimum wage law for agriculture and industrial workers was placed on Egypt’s statutes; these laws, however, were not implemented.

In September 1952, under a new regime, a more satisfactory agrarian reform law was passed.  

It was modified again when Gamal Abdel Nasser’s regime came into power and took steps to modify and implement them in 1953 and 1954.

In 1953, a special law was passed that allowed the confiscation of lands still in the hands of the royal family, their lands being either sold or rented out to peasants. 

The income derived by the government from the sale of the royal lands was used for education and medical services such as schools, student aid, hospitals and social centres.

In place of compensation for confiscated lands, the law granted a monthly living allowance for those of the royal family who needed such aid, as well as providing them with homes. By the end of 1957, approximately 571 000 acres of land was taken over by the government from 1 758 landowners and distributed to about 250 000 peasant families comprising approximately 1,2million people. 181 650 acres of the 571 000 acres confiscated by the government belonged to over 200 members and descendants of the royal family; thus land was more equitably distributed.

But perhaps land reform began with Adam and Eve,  when they disobeyed God’s commandment not to partake of fruit from a certain tree.  

God’s judgment for their defiance was their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, after which man had to toil on the land! 

Dr Michelina Rudo Andreucci is a Zimbabwean-Italian Researcher, Industrial Design Consultant Lecturer and Specialist Hospitality Interior Decorator. She is a published author in her field. For Comments e-mail: linamanucci@gmail.com

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