This essay gives reason behind the description of the development of settler agriculture in Southern Rhodesia between the period of 1908 to 1914 as the phase of white agricultural policy.
“The period between 1906 to 1923 six major factors together boosted capitalist agriculture, so much so that by the close of the second decade of the 20th century settler agriculture had reached a level of self-sufficiency.” This period can also be said to be the period when white settler agriculture was developed and peasant agriculture’s development was completely abandoned. Many scholars have attributed this development of white settler agriculture during this period to have been perpetuated by the policies set up by the British South Africa Company from 1918 to 1923.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- The Development of White Agricultural Policy in Southern Rhodesia (1908-1914)
- Financial Support and Land Acquisition
- Agricultural Expertise and Labor Supply
- Marketing and Competition
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to explain the development of settler agriculture in Southern Rhodesia between 1908 and 1914, characterizing it as a phase of white agricultural policy. It analyzes the factors contributing to the success of white settler agriculture during this period, highlighting the role of British South Africa Company (BSAC) policies.
- The role of the BSAC in promoting white settler agriculture
- Financial incentives and land policies favoring white settlers
- The manipulation of labor supply through various policies and tactics
- Control of agricultural markets and suppression of African competition
- The impact of these policies on the development of both white settler and African peasant agriculture.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The Development of White Agricultural Policy in Southern Rhodesia (1908-1914): This section details how the BSAC, through its policies, fostered the growth of white settler agriculture. Key initiatives included providing professional agricultural training exclusively to white immigrants, offering substantial financial loans accessible only to white farmers, and significantly reducing land prices for white settlers. These actions effectively created a favorable environment for white farmers, while simultaneously neglecting the needs and development of indigenous agriculture.
Financial Support and Land Acquisition: This chapter focuses on the BSAC's financial strategies to support white settler farmers. The allocation of £250,000 in agricultural loans via the Land Bank, accessible only to white farmers, is highlighted. Furthermore, the reduction of land prices to a fraction of the original cost is analyzed as a pivotal tactic to attract white settlers and establish them on the land. This deliberate strategy, coupled with financial support, facilitated the expansion of white-owned farmland and cemented the dominance of white settler agriculture.
Agricultural Expertise and Labor Supply: This section examines the BSAC's approach to securing a reliable labor force for white farms. It explains how the BSAC employed various methods to create a readily available and, importantly, cheap labor pool. These methods involved manipulating land rent policies to force African farmers off their land and into wage labor. Furthermore, the importation of agricultural experts from overseas to aid white farmers is discussed, showcasing a deliberate effort to enhance the productivity and efficiency of white settler agriculture. The chapter highlights the coercive nature of these policies in dispossessing African farmers and creating a system reliant on their labor.
Marketing and Competition: This chapter delves into how the BSAC managed the marketing of agricultural products, guaranteeing profitability for white settlers while simultaneously suppressing African competition. The analysis includes examples of unfair pricing practices that disadvantaged African farmers, who were forced to sell their cattle at significantly lower prices than their white counterparts. The manipulation of market conditions, coupled with the forced relocation of African farmers to less productive lands, ensured the dominance of white settler agriculture and maximized profits for white farmers. This cemented the economic and social hierarchy.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
British South Africa Company (BSAC), white settler agriculture, African peasant agriculture, land policy, agricultural loans, labor supply, market control, colonial Zimbabwe, racial inequality, economic exploitation.
FAQ: The Development of White Agricultural Policy in Southern Rhodesia (1908-1914)
What is the main focus of this essay?
This essay examines the development of white settler agriculture in Southern Rhodesia between 1908 and 1914, analyzing it as a phase of white agricultural policy implemented by the British South Africa Company (BSAC). It investigates the factors contributing to the success of white settler agriculture, emphasizing the role of BSAC policies in shaping this outcome.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
The key themes include the BSAC's role in promoting white settler agriculture; financial incentives and land policies favoring white settlers; manipulation of labor supply through various policies and tactics; control of agricultural markets and suppression of African competition; and the impact of these policies on both white settler and African peasant agriculture.
What specific BSAC policies are discussed?
The essay details policies such as providing professional agricultural training exclusively to white immigrants, offering substantial financial loans accessible only to white farmers, significantly reducing land prices for white settlers, and manipulating land rent policies to force African farmers into wage labor. The manipulation of agricultural markets to disadvantage African farmers is also highlighted.
How did the BSAC provide financial support to white settlers?
The BSAC allocated £250,000 in agricultural loans through the Land Bank, exclusively available to white farmers. Additionally, land prices were significantly reduced for white settlers, making land acquisition considerably more affordable for them compared to African farmers.
What role did labor supply play in the success of white settler agriculture?
The BSAC employed methods to create a cheap and readily available labor pool for white farms. This involved policies that displaced African farmers from their land, forcing them into wage labor. The importation of agricultural experts from overseas further enhanced the productivity and efficiency of white settler agriculture.
How did the BSAC control agricultural markets?
The BSAC controlled marketing of agricultural products, ensuring profitability for white settlers while suppressing African competition. This involved unfair pricing practices that disadvantaged African farmers, forcing them to sell their produce at significantly lower prices than their white counterparts. African farmers were also relocated to less productive lands.
What is the overall impact of these policies?
The policies created a system that favored white settler agriculture at the expense of African peasant agriculture, leading to racial inequality and economic exploitation. The essay analyzes how these policies shaped the development of both white settler and African agriculture and cemented the dominance of white settler agriculture.
What are the key words associated with this essay?
British South Africa Company (BSAC), white settler agriculture, African peasant agriculture, land policy, agricultural loans, labor supply, market control, colonial Zimbabwe, racial inequality, economic exploitation.
What chapters are included in the essay?
The essay is structured into four chapters: The Development of White Agricultural Policy in Southern Rhodesia (1908-1914); Financial Support and Land Acquisition; Agricultural Expertise and Labor Supply; and Marketing and Competition.
- Quote paper
- Lwandze Dlamini (Author), 2019, The development of settler Agriculture in Southern Rhodesia, 1908 to 1914, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1436998
