Land Grabs – A Novel Phenomenon? Comparing Institutional Characteristics in and over Time

Contemporary literature remains inconclusive on what differentiates the “new global land rush” from earlier times: While some authors highlight similarities (e.g., Scramble for Africa); others point out differences (e.g., tend to offshore production of resources, staple crop production). However, no systematic comparison has been conducted. Yet, this would be an important contribution to the contemporary “land grabbing” debate, with its widespread inferences to the Scramble, Neo-Colonialism, and/or Imperialism that also entered the political discourse (e.g., Clinton on China in Africa). This paper studies the institutional dimension of contemporary and historical “land grabs”, focusing on Chinese and British investments; and comparing them with historical evidence on core institutions and practices of late 19th imperial and colonial expansion. The empirical evidence stems from comparative process tracing and extensive literature review. Insights move beyond common explanations that focus on “free markets” or “crisis”, while asking what the findings mean for South-South Cooperation today.