This book explores the actual scenario of I West Bengal's much discussed land reform movement 'Operation Barga'. Presenting a historical overview of landholding and cropping relations in both pre and post-independet India, it traces the roots of the land reform movement and relates it to socio-historical and theoretical issues. Further discussing the expectations and achievements of land reform in revitalising i the present agrarian system in the era of decolonisation, the book analyses the effects of land reform in the context of 'Operation Barga' with distinct ecological, agricultural, social and economic histories and contexts of the state. Views of stakeholders on Barga anomalies also find place in the discussion. The book raises some alarming issues concerning land reforms in general and 'Operation Barga' in particular which need immediate intervention by the policy makers, political implementators and development workers.