This book addresses the question of how it is that so much growth and technical change can take place in agriculture and yet leave the position of agricultural labourers relatively unchanged. Much has been written on farmers and employers in LDC agriculture, but little that focuses on employees - this book will thus stimulate contribution to the study of labour markets and to development studies.

In an area described as in the vanguard of agricultural development in Southern India, the author shows in some detail how limited the changes in the situation of labourers have been as agriculture has developed, and how serious the constraints still are. There is full discussion of central concerns such as the increase in numbers and proportions of agricultural labourers, the stagnation and marginal decline of wage rates and earnings, the property-less status of agricultural labourers, consumption and indebtedness, and labour relationships and processes.