Tales of Peasants, Traders, and Officials - Contracting in Rural Andhra Pradesh, 1980-82

Jul 19, 2026

A detailed study of how rural contracting relationships operated in Andhra Pradesh between 1980 and 1982, examining borrowing, indebtedness, credit choice, labor arrangements, tenancy forms, and well irrigation. The analysis follows village-level conditions and tracks how households negotiate contracts, manage loan rollovers, and interact with employers and local officialdom. It links financial and marketing terms to institutional constraints and behavioral strategies, supported by surveys, theoretical framing, notes, and references.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages173

Reading Time7 h 16 min

Contents

Foreword

Preface

About the Author

Abbreviations

Glossary

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Notes on Villages, 1980

Chapter 3 Following Up, 1982

Chapter 4 Contracting: Setting the Stage

Chapter 5 Labor

Chapter 6 Tenancy and Wells

Chapter 7 Finance and Marketing

Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Tales of Peasants, Traders, and Officials Contracting in Rural Andhra Pradesh, 1980–82 Clive Bell INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN FOCUS Tales of Peasants, Traders, and Officials Contracting in Rural Andhra Pradesh, 1980–82 CLIVE BELL © 2020 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; [Internet: www.worldbank.org](Internet: www.worldbank.org)[ ](Internet: www.worldbank.org)Some rights reserved 1 2 3 4 23 22 21 20 Books in this series are published to communicate the results of Bank research, analysis, and operational experience with the least possible delay. The extent of language editing varies from book to book. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo. Under the Creative Commons Attribution license](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo. Under the Creative Commons Attribution license), you are free to copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt this work, including for commercial purposes, under the following conditions: Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: Bell, Clive. 2020. Tales of Peasants, Traders, and Officials: Contracting in Rural Andhra Pradesh, 1980–82. International Development in Focus. Washington, DC: World Bank. doi: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1555-3. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO Translations—If you create a translation of this work, please add the following disclaimer along with the attribution: This translation was not created by The World Bank and should not be considered an official World Bank translation. The World Bankshall not be liable for any content or error in this translation. Adaptations—If you create an adaptation of this work, please add the following disclaimer along with the attribution: This is an adaptation of an original work by The World Bank. Views and opinions expressed in the adaptation are the sole responsibility of the author or authors of the adaptation and are not endorsed by The World Bank. Third-party content—The World Bank does not necessarily own each component of the content contained within the work. The World Bank therefore does not warrant that the use of any third-party-owned individual component or part contained in the work will not infringe on the rights of those third parties. The risk of claims resulting from such infringement rests solely with you. If you wish to re-use a component of the work, it is your responsibility to determine whether permission is needed for that re-use and to obtain permission from the copyright owner. Examples of components can include, but are not limited to, tables, figures, or images. All queries on rights and licenses should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; [e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org](e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org). ISBN: 978-1-4648-1555-3 DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1555-3 Cover photo: Post-harve

FAQs

What period and region does the study focus on?

The study focuses on contracting in rural Andhra Pradesh during 1980–82.

Which main topics are analyzed in the contracting relationships?

The document covers borrowing and indebtedness, labor arrangements, tenancy and well irrigation, and finance and marketing terms.

How does the book structure its empirical investigation?

It uses village-level notes from 1980 and a follow-up in 1982, supported by surveys, theory, and a series of chapters detailing mechanisms and examples.

Jul 19, 2026

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