The postsocialist agrarian question

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Anthropology requires a broader vision, moving beyond its ties to the primitive and exotic to embrace a genuinely global perspective. This shift calls for a deeper examination of Eurasia and its underlying unity, which could transform scholarly traditions into a cosmopolitan science, as noted by Chris Hann. In the current era of neo-liberalism, the benefits of private property are often assumed, yet the privatization of state farms and cooperatives by postsocialist governments has led to social insecurity for many rural residents. This situation underscores the necessity for a comprehensive anthropological analysis of property relations, extending beyond mere legal changes. A century after Kautsky's exploration of 'The Agrarian Question' in Germany, it is crucial to address a postsocialist Agrarian Question across Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and China. The studies presented here emerge from the first cycle of projects at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology and are introduced by Chris Hann, a Founding Director of the Institute. Contributors include Susanne Brandtstädter, Andrew Cartwright, Barbara A. Cellarius, John Eidson, Patty A. Gray, Patrick Heady, Deema Kaneff, and others, collectively offering insights into the complexities of property relations in a postsocialist context.