Rice Harvesting in Kali Loro: A Study of Class and Labor Relations in Rural Java

Abstract

The “Green Revolution” was initially hailed as a cure-all for underproduction in the impoverished countries of Southeast Asia and the Third World in general. Recent critics, however, looking beyond gross national product, have indicated that these programs result in various forms of environmental degradation and increased economic polarization. Technological inputs in the form of high yielding rice varieties, pesticides, and fertilizers have been accompanied by widespread social changes in labor organization, leading to reduced production costs for larger landowners, but also to a large-scale elimination of agricultural employment opportunities.