The Malcontents were a group of early settlers in colonial Georgia who were dissatisfied with the policies of the colony's founder, James Oglethorpe, particularly regarding land ownership, slavery, and trade. They arrived in the 1730s and advocated for changes that would allow for more land ownership and the use of enslaved labor to increase productivity.
In terms of land productivity, the Malcontents argued that Oglethorpe's restrictions—such as limits on land grants and the prohibition of slavery—were hindering economic development. They believed that allowing more land ownership and the introduction of slavery would lead to greater agricultural output and economic viability for the colony.
Once these policies started to change in the late 1730s and early 1740s, and after Georgia's official charter was revised to allow for slavery and increased land grants, agricultural productivity did improve. The introduction of rice and indigo as cash crops, cultivated by enslaved labor, significantly boosted the colony's economy and led to greater land productivity.
In summary, the Malcontents themselves were not directly responsible for land productivity, but their advocacy for changes in land policy and labor practices contributed to the eventual increase in agricultural productivity in colonial Georgia.