Winner of the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa 1994 this ground-breaking work in a reassessment of economic history which discusses massive changes in some detail as colonialism took a hold on the continent. Themes covered include: environment and demography, agriculture, mining and manufacture, trade, imperialism.
“an ambitious, skilfully written, and exhaustively researched synthesis of African economic history in the 19th century.” The citation goes on to say that “the book is an exercise in convincing challenge to hitherto accepted orthodoxies, terminologies, and interpretations, outstanding, pioneering work, destined to become highly influential, and providing such a wealth of information and details as to elevate the study of African economic history to a new pedestal.”
Noma Award Jury Citation
“This extensive and well-written survey of nineteenth century African Economic life sets an impressive standard…Zeleza’s mastery of the literature in impressive, as are his skills of synthesis and argument. For an audience of Africanists, this is an excellent general statement of the issues and evidence in African economic history.”
Journal of African History
“…in a class of its own. …it has become a major event in the contemporary historiography of Africa”
Egerton Journal
Paul Tiyambe Zeleza
ISBN: 2-86978-027-3
CODESRIA 1993