The Land Issue
The Land Issue
Scarce Resource?
This chapter tries to determine if the concept of scarcity, such as in terms of the scarcity of land, actually exists within the New Guinea economy. It first considers the possibility that there are societies where scarcity is non-existent, before discussing several popular substantivists such as K. Polanyi. It then assesses the use and availability of land within the western area of Wola, specifically the amount of land under cultivation that is needed to support a specific population. Several maps of the region are presented in order to further illustrate the discussion. The chapter ends with detailed analysis on the role of social status in land cultivation and the connection of land availability to demand.
Keywords: scarcity, substantivists, K. Polanyi, land availability, land cultivation, social status, demand
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