An Economic History of South Africa Routledge Library Editions: South Africa Series

Originally published in 1931, A Modern Economic History of South Africa describes the state of Southern Africa in its early days. Its early expansion, the agriculture of the Trek Boers, the difficulties of communication over vast stretches of uncultivated land are woven by the author into a concrete picture of the economic life of the then undeveloped country. The development of the gold and diamond mining industries is discussed, as is their effect on the economy, and the development of infrastructure which followed such as the railways. The challenges of development are also analysed: the customs problems, the increased contact of European with Bantu populations and the ultimate unification of the sub-continent of South Africa.

Part 1: A Survey of Development Before 1892Part 2 1. Early Railway Agreements 2. Customs and Trade in the Gold Discovery Period 3. Agriculture in the Mining Development Period 1887 – 1899 4. The Development of Economic Contact Between European and Bantu 1890 – 1899 5. The Industrial Development of the South African States from 1887 – 1899 6. The Reconstruction of South Africa After the Anglo-Boer War 7. The Railways and Finances of the Four Colonies 8. Land Settlement and Agriculture in the Reconstruction 9. Mining and Labour Questions in the Post-War Period 10. Customs Problems within the Customs Union.