Those who were completely forced off the land migrated to the city centers in search of work and found little. The nation became one of impoverished urban and rural workers seeking relief. The onset of global depression in the 1930s only sped up the rate of foreclosure, leading to popular rebellions. In response to these protests, the government tried to solve this major problem by creating a Land Committee meant to create policies of land reform. They passed a law aimed at changing the system and alleviating rural poverty. The Land Purchase Act (1941) gave the government the ability to buy huge areas of land not being used for farming and then grant it to landless farmers. This was to be the last important land law passed by the colonial government.