Brazil's Land Law of 1850, which sets…

Brazil's Land Law of 1850, which sets the pattern for modern landholding, is a good example of how the real power holders manipulate the system to protect their narrow interests to the detriment of the national interest.

The Land Law ends the colonial practice of obtaining land through squatting or royal grants and limits acquisition to purchase, thereby restricting the number of people who can become owners.

By creating obstacles to landownership, the law's framers hope to force free labor to work for existing landlords.

However, proprietors sabotage the law by not surveying their lands and not resolving their conflicting claims in order to keep titles cloudy and hence in their hands.

One result of the uncertain titles is that slaves are used as collateral.