Decolonizing with data: The cliometric turn in African economic history
Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP02/2019Publication date: March 2019
Author(s):
[protected email address] (LEAP, Department of Economics, Stellenbosch University)
Our understanding of Africa's economic past -- the causes and consequences of precolonial polities, the slave trade, state formation, the Scramble for Africa, European settlement, and independence -- has improved markedly over the last two decades. Much of this is the result of the cliometric turn in African economic history, what some have called a `renaissance'. Whilst acknowledging that cliometrics is not new to African history, this chapter examines the major recent contributions, noting their methodological advances and dividing them into four broad themes: persistence of deep traits, slavery, colonialism and independence. We conclude with a brief bibliometric exercise, noting the lack of Africans working at the frontier of African cliometrics.
JEL Classification:N01, N37, O10
Keywords:Africa, history, poverty, reversal of fortunes, sub-Saharan, trade, slavery, colonialism, missionaries, independence
Download: PDF (658 KB)Login
(for staff & registered students)
BER Weekly
14 Mar 2025 Budget 2.0 – less VAT, but still a lot of tax and little spending cuts from Budget 1.0After originally being scheduled for 19 February and then postponed at the last moment, the National Budget for 2025 was tabled by the National Treasury (NT) on 12 March. In some ways, Budget 2.0 was largely the same as Budget (1.0). While the contentious 2%pt-VAT hike was watered down, it still comes with a heavy tax burden, largely shouldered by the...
Read the full issue
BER Weekly
14 Mar 2025 Budget 2.0 – less VAT, but still a lot of tax and little spending cuts from Budget 1.0After originally being scheduled for 19 February and then postponed at the last moment, the National Budget for 2025 was tabled by the National Treasury (NT) on 12 March. In some ways, Budget 2.0 was largely the same as Budget (1.0). While the contentious 2%pt-VAT hike was watered down, it still comes with a heavy tax burden, largely shouldered by the...
Read the full issue