The Development of Cadastral Systems: An Alternative View

Recently, Ting and Williamson (1999 Ting, L. and Williamson, I. 1999. Cadastral systems: a synthesis. The Australian Surveyor, 44(1): 46–54. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) tried to link broad historical trends to changing cadastre functions. This raised the question whether broad trends are, despite varying national pressures and priorities, the primary determinants of cadastral change. This paper presents an alternative view: that the primary determinants of cadastral change are internal (national) and conflict among stakeholders over the land issue, expressed through State action, is a major motor of change. Attempts to explain cadastral reform based on broad global trends tend to slight over the different national trajectories. A brief case study on the development of the cadastre in early Singapore is used to illustrate the complex dialectics between society and cadastral development.