Socio-economic consequences of mortality change in peasant societies

This chapter explores the relations between demographic changes--particularly the decline mortality--and changes agrarian structure. It describes the main transformations the agrarian sector Latin America the past 100 years with emphasis on the transformation from a non-capitalist economy with a relative lack of labour force into one which capitalist relations prevail and give way to processes that generate a surplus labour force. It points out the role played by population growth this transformation and particularly the effects of the decline mortality. The authors contend that in spatial and temporal situations demographic changes and conditions can impose new arrangements practices and strategies with a view to ensuring the economic and social reproduction of agrarian production units and of families. The most relevant...conclusion is the need to undertake specific studies different agrarian contexts to allow a deeper analysis of relations between transformations agrarian structure and demographic dynamics. (EXCERPT)