Rural marginalized communities in the developing world, such as subsistence farmers and indigenous groups, often face threats to their land rights and access to natural resources. Large-scale land grabs, deforestation, and agrochemical drift undermine their livelihoods, even when they hold property rights. Structural barriers, including limited legal awareness and high litigation costs, often prevent these groups from defending their claims in court. However, in some regions, rural communities successfully pursue litigation to protect their land rights.

This paper examines why rural litigation emerges in some areas but not others, focusing on the historical legacies of collective action. Specifically, we analyze the role of the Agrarian Leagues, a mass movement active from the 1940s to the 1970s in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, which advocated for land reform and peasant rights. We argue that in regions where the Agrarian Leagues were active, rural communities inherited (i) heightened legal consciousness and (ii) organizational skills that help them overcome barriers to litigation.

We test this hypothesis using econometric and qualitative evidence from Argentina’s Northeast during 2004–2012. Combining fieldwork, archival research, and nearly 40 in-depth interviews, we construct a dataset of collective legal cases and map the historical presence of Agrarian Leagues chapters. Our findings show that historical experiences of collective action have enduring effects, equipping marginalized rural groups with the tools to navigate judicial systems and defend their land rights in contemporary settings.