Ellen Hillbom

Professor, Deputy head of department, Director of third cycle studies, Department of Economic History

Economic development during the height of colonialism, c. 1920-1960

Author

Ellen Hillbom

Summary, in English

During the colonial era, economic strategies and policies were shaped by both the colonisers and the colonized, from the imperial offices in the metropoles to the African farmers in the rural communities. Negotiations and interactions, within and between groups, impacted the outcomes at both the state and the individual levels. While we try to highlight this complexity and diversity, it is impossible to account for all African economies’ colonial experience over the full eight decades. Therefore, we only give empirical examples form Africa south of the Sahara and we focus on the period 1920-1960. Further, we identify some key processes and structures that we discuss – the political economy of the colonial states, their financial capacity and labour systems, and the growth and distribution of national and individual incomes. We end the chapter with suggesting some impactful colonial legacies and giving examples of how African countries have dealt with their colonial past.

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