EXIT! Communist Land Reform Acts

May 22, 2025

This pattern—where land is expropriated by the state under the justification of reform or redistribution—has played out across many countries and eras. The rationale often involves claims of historical injustice, economic inequality, or national development. Let's break down how this has happened in China, Vietnam, and South Africa, with attention to both material confiscation and ritualistic shaming of former owners:

1. China: The Land Reform Campaign (1947–1952)

Ritualistic Shaming and Violence:

Landowners were often subjected to “struggle sessions”, where they were forced to confess “crimes” of exploitation.
Public humiliation, beatings, and executions were common. Many landlords were branded enemies of the revolution.
It’s estimated that 1 to 2 million people died in this campaign.
The message: private land ownership = class enemy.

2. Vietnam: Land Reform (1953–1956)

Ritualistic Shaming and Execution:

“People’s tribunals” were used to try landlords.
Many were executed or labeled as reactionary elements.
Families of landlords were also stigmatized, affecting their ability to access jobs or education.
Afterward, the government acknowledged “errors” and retracted some policies, but at least 13,500 confirmed executions occurred, with estimates much higher.

3. South Africa: Land Reform and Expropriation Without Compensation (Current Era)

Confiscation (Potential/Proposed):

Post-apartheid South Africa has long struggled with land reform, as whites (9% of the population) own 72% of private farmland.
In 2018, Parliament voted to explore expropriation without compensation (EWC), a move to transfer land to black South Africans without paying landowners.
Though large-scale seizures haven’t yet occurred, there is mounting pressure for radical reform. This has started in 2025.

Shaming and Social Pressure:

White landowners are increasingly portrayed by some political factions (notably the EFF—Economic Freedom Fighters) as beneficiaries of colonial theft.
While not yet violent on a systemic scale, there are concerns of “soft expropriation” through social pressure, bureaucracy, and legal manipulation.
The ideological framing echoes past revolutionary reforms: landowners = oppressors.

Historical Pattern Summary

This cycle reflects three repeating elements:

Moral Justification: The state presents land reform as a moral correction of historical injustice.
Physical Expropriation: The land is forcibly taken, often under legal or revolutionary pretexts.
Ritualistic Shaming and Elimination: Former owners are demonized, publicly humiliated, or even eliminated—socially or physically.

Key Insight

What makes real estate vulnerable is not just that it's immobile—it’s that it's visible. It can be cataloged, taxed, seized, and its ownership politicized. When power shifts, land becomes a symbol as much as an asset. The ownership of land often becomes a target, not just a title.