Land reallocation and collective action in the commons: Application of social-ecological system framework with evidence from rural China

There is already a rich literature on collective action surrounding irrigation systems, which constitutes a significant mainstream knowledge system in the field of collective action. However, within this mainstream knowledge system, little attention has been paid to the impact of land reallocation with demographic changes on collective action. This form of land reallocation is a unique phenomenon under the common property rights in China, which is rare in the world. Based on the theoretical framework of social-ecological systems and survey data obtained from 4809 households in 16 provinces of rural China, the empirical results indicate a significant adverse influence of volatile land reallocation on collective action related to irrigation, which is mediated by land transfer, average parcel size, and village disputes. These results underline the need for secure land tenure to foster collective action in rural areas. This research contributes new variables and empirical evidence from China to the field of collective action research. Additionally, this study broadens the scope of the traditional economic focus of agriculture on land reallocation by encompassing the realm of commons governance. •Land reallocation is confirmed to have a direct and negative effect on collective action in the commons.•A unique dataset comprising 4809 households from 16 provinces across China is used to test the hypothesis.•The effects of land reallocation on collective action are mediated by land transfer, average parcel size, village disputes.•We present the complex interactions among key variables in specific Social-Ecological System.