Social Relations, Cultural Networks and Land Transfer Market — An Investigation on a Border Village in Tengchong County, Southwest of Yunnan Province

Abstract

Under the premise of establishing the system of “separation of rural land ownership rights, contract rights and management rights”, the volume of transactions in the domestic land transfer market in China is still limited. It is not because of the unclear land property rights or unsound transfer system, but because of the fact that the land is not simply an economic factor. Peasants allow for unforeseen circumstances for their family economies and decide their willingness of land transfer according to the local social habits. Instead of hindering land transfer, the local social relations and cultural networks are conducive to reducing transaction costs, resolving social conflicts, maintaining the dynamic stability of land management rights and promoting the smooth operation of land transfer market. The rational utilization of social culture can facilitate and stabilize land transfer, which will contribute to the implementation of the national goal of achieving a connection between smallholders and modern agriculture as well as accelerate the development of agricultural economy.