Doing it for Themselves: Direct Action Land Reform in the Brazilian Amazon

Policy mandates that SPs be initiated at the grassroots level, usually with the involvement of a social movement organization (SMO) such as the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST).

“Unlike traditional state-led colonization efforts, policy mandates that SPs be initiated at the grassroots level, an action that usually initiates with the involvement of a social movement organization, or SMO, such as the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST).”

Southeastern Pará has a long history of land conflict, pitting the landless against large ranchers, and triggering political mobilization for the purposes of agrarian reform that has resulted in the creation of many SPs.

“The region also has a long history of land conflict, pitting the landless against large ranchers, and triggering political mobilization for the purposes of agrarian reform that has resulted in the creation of many SPs [4].”

Growing cadres of the poor in cities are easily mobilized to participate in direct action land reform (DALR), characterized by militant occupations carried out by hundreds of landless farmers on large ranches deemed illegal or unproductive by movement leaders.

“In turn, growing cadres of the poor in cities are easily mobilized to participate in direct action land reform, or DALR, which is characterized by the militant occupations, carried out by hundreds of landless farmers on large ranches deemed illegal or unproductive by movement leaders [4].”

In a study of SPs in Southeastern Pará, Simmons and colleagues in 2006 found that 75 percent of the occupants viewed cattle as their primary agricultural activity.

“For example, in a study of SPs in Southeastern Pará, Simmons and colleagues in 2006 found that 75 percent of the occupants viewed cattle as their primary agricultural activity [4].”