Unlocking the Mystery of Capital: A Case Study on Property Rights and Capital Accumulation

Secured property rights are a key determinant to economic development†(Galiani & Schagrodsky, 2005). One way to evaluate this argument is through the case of providing the informal settlers and poor people with land titles. The study comprehensively explained how provisions of land titles (property rights) to the poor (informal settlers) affect their access to credit (capital accumulation) and living conditions. Key-informant and semi-structured interviews were utilized to answer the questions in this study and was thematically analyzed. A community of former informal settlers in Taguig City was chosen to be the respondents of the study. The study notably identified significant effects and improvements in the lives of the poor upon receiving land titles.

 

Keywords - Economics, capital, property rights, capital accumulation, descriptive design, Philippines.