Economic forms in pre-colonial Ghana

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., ...

· .

,

UNITED NATIONS

tAFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC A DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING

IDEP/REPRODUCTION/210.

D A. K A R

ECONOMIC GROI-fTH CENTER YALE UNIVERSITY

Box 19~7, Yale Station New Haven~ Connecticut

CENTER DISCUSSION PAPER NO;

79

ECONOMIC FORMS IN PRE-COLONIAL GHANA1

by

·~ :

Stephen Heymer

Novembe+

6,

1969

~- - '· ¹ ^{• •}

-:·:-.t:• · Csnte:;:- };iscussi on Papers are preliminary materials circulated to

'···-

s t;imu:Late discussion and cri tica.l comment. References in publica- .

tions to Discussion Papers should be c.leared with the author to protect the tentative charactar of these papers •

.: ANUARY, 1971.

· -

.'·

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1 '

IDEP/REPRODUCTION/210 Fage 1 :. · · .. :r,· _

·-·~.., '· --

Economie :Por.ms in Pro-Co1ocial Ghana 1 ..

'.-···· ^_;^-~^.

. 9tephen Hymer

J•::eoonpmi:c. o.rga.niisat-ion prè-V:nil'îng in Ghap'a before it was

incor~o~aiéci

^.^.^{. :} ^' ^.^-

into:}tlie{Œri-ti'sh ·'Drilj_lz;è;.-

nt~ -~ he

^end

of

^thé^·'i9th

Ôentur'i~

^{It i}^·s

;idi~ldëd.

,. . • . ... -·- : L. . . • ~- :· . :·.· .: .. ·. r.· .· ^{_4 ••}

··.ï;:nto:>thrco~.par'ts,.· The' first analyzes the viilage ;.s~fbsistencé

-'èc'Onom:/ . ..

_;::_;and suggeats,,·that-: .:the egali tari

an

^naturë·^.:·ot· the

lana.;;.tenur~ 0 ·~~s:~-e~ prë_i~rit~

ed the

<Om~Dgl;nc·c

^o.i^f

a~

-la.nd;;;.oWiii.i;.rg-' clà.ss

ahd: < t:he app't~pr~4tion !of~:~:. ~eg~~~f~f

surplu~··· ^·01~\;a-eçl ^·to^,^aneco~omi~. st;ub.~üro ëharacte.~iz~cÎ ^,^by;^·a~ 1~-~:.1ey!3l:c ^. ^{. ,}

· ,.-,_j· ^•-:r^-·· ^· ^;T^•-d-· · r.· • • ._.;..,. . ~< .. ,·;__:· .· =- • .:·.-).,.''4 ~~----:~-; \..J;.--r::.

o~.' mat'êirial production anèFa low( dêgroe·: of specialisation;a'P.ét,:)~:JÇch~g~{· -~~·E'h

, 1 .'. l _· : .• , . . • '!'\.l'.tf•-·- ~-: .. ....;.... -::;...

àecon.d· 'p·art: ana;lyzcs f.orms. of cc.onomic 6rgc.nisntion _. assocïated ;wi-th· long _. dl!'stârië~:~r~c~, , ihr~, -the very pld northern trado _._.. wi.th· ether p'a.r._... ts~. of c:Af-riqli!o,

: '-·· -.~ ..

and '\he';~&6u·thern) coastal -tradc with Europe which .. began in ·the l,O:th r.Ccn.tury;._, ,,

. ,,. ;. -~~-.;.i. ~ ·. . .. ~

l.t a-rgues \tha~t<f'or'6ignLtrad.e not only expanded

tho

^-cqnsurnptiQ.ll~~-eibl:i:t.-i;:Q,$!:

.. . . . .- . . ~-: r-: ··.

<?f•.:è't'liléA»Ocie-t:r, ··'as· predietcd by, the theory of inter;t;ationa.l tr:adQ:1 '-butr:a::J.~p;_,

introd.udèd~s-•a.':J1ew·:oL:t~s:; stru6tu.r.~ and grèatûr ~incom~ . inoquali.:ty:,. :1ünce dt:.·;·., .'

.:- •'( " • >.1".( . • , .f,' .;;,...-'{.,

ali'owed) a i:sffi:àill· group to ·.approp'riate a s'ilrpiùs, fo·~ i~:s .own -E.,~··'· Thie tltird~i

. · . . :.· ..... . ., •. :~·· .. ~:-- -~~- .i ... ·· . ·-··· ·. .

part di·'iidüs~eà:' the relevance devclOpln'ént.

. -.: ·· . .. _.:j:.

c··-·

of Pre-Colonial forms to 20th pentur.)L·e.Q:~omy_(. ;:-_

· ·:··~ .:~ -~~· .. · ... ~··.-.··: .. ;~:'"J·:,~·frC~- .·1~r -·~· ... .- ·. -~ ·. · ·.

··c . . ,:-..

. ,.

·.~.- ' ;·; .... ~i

tu· . . ^.(.: .. ; . : ^/~ ^'.'.~ ... .. ^"...)...

... 1 -~ · ••

r~· .

-

^·^.

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··' ": ... ^...,... ^,•

• 1 ~ ·' '' ~ __ : _; ~; :. •

IDEP/REPRODUCTION/210 Page 2

. . . -r l. .

... :·.

-' 'imJ(:p vi·-~jjO.,~c··~•'L'i....,~"+ ·~'}..lt.liJ 1ï'.:-.f..•i'lnm~i:2~

I. ^···""t'ft · ~, ... __.u.~:.&.&e:n .... ~'l:(â,l:~:;:;~

•

11 All power lies in land" g.o~i'::i..ah®al'im proverb.. As in most agrarian economies, the system of land owncrship was the dominant element in deterrnin-

ing the st'r.::.ué'.f'{D;~}

a ·f

~~he· e6o'nomy. -~ In~'tne P'r'O~Coldfi:itil' Ghanaiatt.'enon~;· land

was distr:Ù:fJ·t'~:ci'

' d'q:ti:a:ii;t · anâ.

·;mas~

· ir· amî'Flcs hâd ' fu'l- :1

·righ·tsF'W tii<ei·~and rtih~Y\

· , ; .

used,. pkytri:g·.t.Ù tt1~ ·:or •!iô·thi'ng

üi

··~t~he way of.•Fft''ent ·'af· .. ·ta.xds;.··: A ~f:a:ilr''~sh~e .. of l availabl~/'l~hCI w;i~·.:thc"'ri~ht

' cH

i:e-Jêry mertrbc!'--4,f tllë'Tèommlrili ty;.> :Th;e p;t!Q\Qcuç"t; .q_f th;;:i·f~rid'l~hds';.rti&i'ortg~Ni'->të

tfiJ

rruhi;Y

that

&ulti\f.titéci:.·i't ana there ~:waa~~<Qi : ·· .. ,,, lèfettr&'-6'liiss -'cteri.f.fng· ~ii ta iricom·é f'~om ^.:^r^eⁿts ,, • .i:

GAs

-wc shall :.eee ~:in,~the n~xt :_.,··

sectiJnrl~udh ::_ lcistir€- · ëit:l.sses ': ~~>~ -

thère· were, :·depe:nded 'Upon

gold~ining , ~<h.rt<:

lo~'1'ni~·~~::-:~:.erâaa ratheri:théim .'l,ana) •.. ·· ' ' • ; ;~ . j·, · ·· .:: •.• fJ.d~ ·t-.i Tlie·La1Jséricë 6ri:r.artt" may.;havé :been dû.3r ,to :the law :populo.t:i,c:m d~n~ity:

. a.ng. .

a.n~>~x·~sa · süp!HY. of .. land:;..t':In'·tt!!chnical·~:tcrmsr ono ·co.uld:argJ;Le:thu.t rent _:- .:: ~, was ~z·Ërï-6 · be~il.üèe~· ,the ·ma.r..gimiL producti vi ty of .land .was :zero. duç· to iits _{'' i} abünà'ktt·t·: ilüpp1.Y'P ; Tbis is not+ a o.onvinoing. oxplanation, hqw.ever:l since: la.nd.r~

evérlSWh'krè itbYs? P'Îent.tful .. <:~:an' ^b^emad·(.L sc arca, . if :certai~ groups_; , gÇ~;in •_. th~.' _~_.., ·· ._.._•'. power!

-br ..

·:ex.iiludi~.:..:other.s ft"om · .. i ts .. use·.~ .• Land; ~cin .Ghana, •. was cer-tainl..~:;IlO~J: :

f~~~ : .iif· ~he!.

serii:i:ËP of

"befi~hg

·avàilah:J,::n:. to anyone in.

unlimi:iï,e-dqu~titit~. s.r~~:L

zero:'pP.f'ce.-'"LOn :the~~cont~àrYf"~ cilL hmd h:ad ·an ~owner-.. a.nd.1and righ:t~·:.W:~~ ,,._, ·:S

jealously guarded. Sorne · individuals in the tradi tional society, ,U;S}l:(3.llyL . ..

strangers or captives, weto denied land and had either to pay rent or to work as servants or slaves. The problom is to explain why this was not a prevalent relationship.

An important part of the answcr seems to be tho land laws, which as

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I:DEP /REPRO:DUCTIO:N{21 0.\

Page 3

s ta ted b~ .. !on~~, ;~~~:?\a "native ge ni us i~:.J'·~~ ~ t"ical org?!ri.~ ~:t:i.Ont ,wh;i,9h.: is demoër·a.:üë:: '' _ ~e, n::r~ed .Jhat __ t;he_Ja_~d t~n~re,,.~Y~-~~m-:of. tv~s ~ ... M'l'i9{l.n-:i:J .~'' . -.· ..

societies w_as de~igne~ .~o. p:rçtect,. <3:gai~:3t" p.r.~~fiqial sO<).rci~y, by :\-n~.llring~·r.:: .. ···

.·, .:.,r· . \ ~! ·_ . . · :~~ ... t ', ;: .1;•''•:: .!^1.•^•~·· -~-.., ^•• ^{· · ;} ^' ^{; .} ' " " ·' .. . . - ' ..., • • •

that'.lâiîd did not a.ccumulate in .the .he.p.dFJ of .... ~ few;, .and that .e.ver;y;:(:6l~bRJ\·•

'. [' -··-·· _,.--.+ :; ... ^-:~^_r·^-~^--

..

^- ^~-:::~ ^c'-J;_.~^{.. :}^:':/^·,_^.. ^.•^:^~^... ^-~^-~ ^·^__^,_ ^{. .}^·^''_:.),^_.^;.-~,.-^. ^: ^..^..^.. ^. ^·^- ^.^. ^.

of~~-~-~ ,ri-:éci ~ t.f , _~aq ~ ~?, un~_~:e·~;~_i?,nab~~ : ri~hp)p pa:rtiR~p, ate

:

~n.,< ~;l;-~üu.~e\L::

^';lJhe^;i ^"=\ ^.

;a(:-,Y'l;;:;t.· •• '-2'~'-""'. ·.•··. , . "' / ... - . .

Po licy w. a ... s . . >·:: .. i --l~ , . : -~ .• ·-~ ::·~-C~. ;_:_-.-~ ·:· --::.. .·· · .. --... L~;: 'q • • il~_,:·.'.·.':. r~;; ·. -;,~:f:_Ç.cn-'

.... _ · v·· .:· t? }'~~ _thp, :C?li.~_fpo , mox~ :f,~9f:ld ·:~h~L !J.IlY <f:t~~r ~ .i:~~ivt~y;~

^.^.

:~

^.,^'^·

.l~.: ::~-: .. ;_.,-,_:-~·-b.nd~'''td¹dis'tribU:iè lahd r~ghts w1.dely and more or less, . . . .... .,. , .

. n.. ·;;'~;·. eqW3'1l..Y"·.cS9 .. tha:t; t~é;. a:re demo·cratf'ë c·ommtinit-i@à~c?iisli{t- · ··· .. --::::·\' ~-· . . ing. C?( IIlul t;.t.~_df_s ~f ~waf-1 félfwcrs ,or peas:~h· P:t:<fP;Jo_:l_QJ!s,_., "S< ·.~·.L:··.·:,~·-· •

&t•).:;;'.•:·. ,:\·:·o!lr'lnlœett th~" s'ame·'s6bïal hhci'·econ6inic status. The temporal

.. .. .<~~~n~-~~~<i~.Jr;y;: et~i~:ils èOn ;:the·· Hest Coast~ and< .. iNér•&i:fS

nor .

₃ ^:•

d .. • concept1on wh~tever of a landlord in tllo Eur.Qp,o.a;n ... se,nse:. r::~-~ ·r·,··-:r

• "'· .. ~ ;-G::.': ~~:':!i:J.c--:.~·: >·!.:._;· . . L ~ :.:.-.::.;~--_:··.L::_._,~ --~:-~·:·""'.: i . . . ·~· · .. : ... :.~-: · .... '· ·-· ... · ~ ...... t •• •• ,

. Thus· no mem"bë;r of th~. C()m~un:ity. was landl~,~s;

a.J!19-,

.Jünc~ .. ffiP~:·}:·:P:~len~ed

··. ··--.~ ·-~ ··.;··.~;. '"1~o- -&~.._:;;.i::·_1:f.::; f"· ... {!:\· __ :,:·---'\'' ... \~\:.·_.-)_:._ .... ~-~ •. · --~-· . . ··~. ··----- .

to ·à -~'oltnnuni

tY:,: .

^"few ^men^_^werB ^+'11-rcP_^n. ^bY,^lack^{. of}^lan9.1 to-.:~ç;>ll~-~fjo;r ·,.().-.thr;-.s-. . .

,·.. . ·~"' ·r· -~,., .. ,-,-~ :..:·. t • ,-l'· -~-...-: ... - ; •.. .. ·.. :_ '.· " ;. .. . ._._ ... - .

The :t~s'ult¹r 'wtl's:'à. ·'rei'afi'vëly equal dis tri bu ti on of inco~.e .. J:~,rff:~q~,--;~y~::JT:on.~: .F :~ .

. .,:·.; .. ,~r,>'-~~~-~--~·;./.:..:~ .'( .. ·:·:~ ·_-;·_;· .. :..: .:·. ·;': ... ~ .. _;- · re ' · .-.. - . ·

had siirtïia:i"' stfuicfarâ.s of food, hous_ing, and clothing~ ..

"J.p

Jo!J..~S:.';sr·.-ff~:fl.s,J.v,_ .. .j

~i:i1F 'Jitlii~r.m~, : :iilthb~gf d~~oid

^of ^a^·^ballot^box,^.

co~l_çl .,,'~~ -~ -~c;~~ ~t :) ~i.r.:. ,~~~r~:ç;. ~n4s

by

f~r sîrrrpf~}

'ifud_

fu

ore .

n6-~ural

^m^c^{nris, .}^.^{· but the}^.

~ff.ey,t

^;f

i , t ^~~fL :ti?JJ;i?l,e : a~

rel:àtiiièly . ~'hëî~m'6\;.~

iiilinber'''or people

~n :~ffect:ive

^{p;wér i}^.ⁿ

j; _~~

.orde;ring of

•·• .•. · f'r-·""' _..,. 1-·· -?- :.. 1' .-;. :.: .• • ,, .• :..;. •· :·-~- : .·: ·:·.:·:.·~·- - ~ ·• -~---~· -·-:. ·: ;_;_: "··< __ ·. ~-¹ ^•• ^: -·~·~:··.-

théi~!':~Wll go'trûrnih'Einf~l'' "· · ·

~ :~' j6fie~ i cohjéc~f éd,. ¹ tii'à t' \iii~ ~;·st~m

^i.ias^'a

carry-ov~~ -:

^..

^r:rom -- ~

^h:tj,ng

p~~t::: ~·,

. . . ,, ' ; :_ : ' . .... . ·.. .. . ' . . . :; .. -~-··· _ _. .,;;.·'_,_: ·.· ·-·-~ 1.,::~.-- •.· ... -.t. --.. i .;_ :~--

Hwitirtg rèqJif.~(f·a : hi~1/a e ~r ee

'àf

~YJ;lchron,izat~on . ~d, co;r~~f.!Jipn;:• f>;f; i activ~jiY,j

.... _,_:-,.· .. :4-' -:·~--~-- -~!"'--·~ •. ;.: f;l· .. , ~"t-'f.;·· ~-~-~:-{'~,.~~!:_ . . :.: __ ,.-.'* ~. -~---~---- . ·. ... ~ . :• - . -~

and"''tlie·J social organisation must be demqcr.::;.tic in,:_ 9rde~ tq, ;.e~!'!~~~"-~o9.PE::lraj"4Pn.:,.;;:

rit tiffs

type. of'

è~6~orfi~, i· .: . ?.rd~;

^to

pr ~ ~e~~e '

^the^'

~o~.rn~~};2; a~ <:. ~ / ~~fec~i,- ':" ~

workiliè

',;jf)Jt':frf- ~ iïi.trin:o.l':t · ~d. e~àcit:t.~ - t~~;

^ï

th~

PolitiBal leader muet -maintain

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IDEP/RlilPRO:bDÙCTION/210 Page

4. harmortY. 'i~nd ; l:idiànde; ~··

.. ,An .:a,giiëültu;·al

e~:;'~omy d.~es

not

requi.~e

-t:he s ame rigorous

:"iâfvi~ion

^·of

làb~~~; but~hen

^a' society movos from hunting to

agricti'.iture/ it m'ai'

ê~'rr// over ..;i ù{

ⁱ

t

tlic 'same

vit~l pri~bipl,~s · ot: ba:lanc~

'.·· .

... ~ :") i ~-

·.: -~

and ecfuiiil. ty~c·: Thus · there' deVerops a system of i'and tenure in ~hi ^ch^.^.the chief.

;·-· . ~ ·.-- . ·. ,• :· ; .· : ...: . . .• . . . . ..•. : ·:· ::..·~~.;· ~ : ' ,:,ï.'' .... ·,~ . '·.. . ·1 ^.!

or head of". h6uséÀold, .. àèting as . a trustee in association wi th elders,])re~e~~·U~.

. ... ·'- ..... -~

uni ty and stabili ty, by allocating portions of land to mçmbers as ne.eded -

. . :-:. . ... ·-:r

keeping the

tiriuseti'

-'pa::;·~ i;n :pes'érve. In i ts ideal ._form --t.his isystem·. produces an

·' '

economy in ~hiPh membe,rsi: are unit:ed ih blood, lang\tage· dnA ,cust.oms.~ : Thus a.n

. ' .. • ; -~ • . : !'.; .. ~. . . '; :.~i ..:.

orderly prod~d~ü:~~- ·i·s~.~er{é.hr?d by reci.proci

ty,

redistz:ibuti;o.n and:'h6.1iseholding, rather than

1the: pr.inciples of labour for

remunera-ei~~· . m~}riinilln

·

e~for't,

and

the separati-~r{ô-f ·ec.(momic. insti tu tiens from poli ti.c.al ~nd socic.ù,. o~es •.. -

: Of

êb-fu.s

⁷

~'' '·this simplifie~ pr~sentaÙon . ex-aggerat·~~ . th ~ - ~~e~

^of^,

~qu~.i t~

'_ .... ·. . •. ·_'· .·· ····· .. t. . . . . . .

and

dein' bc~~ .cy '~ttainable, ~ci

-shouid. not be. taken as a l;i _'_. _. t~ra;L _. _. descrip_. _~. ^-,tion of^.· . . ·

'· r · , ~; · 1 · _ ~--; :1 ,. : 1 : ~ ~ · . · ·

actuàt' e'Cëmomic candi tiens in Ghu.na. It is, however, . a usefult. half~:tl1lth

.-.h· .·. :::' ·.-'" ' \

to contrast wi th the economie organisation found in ether CQuntries, Q.nd_·-. _._·' _.· _.:_.:.· _._. _. _"r.with ,.

L f ··~ • o • •: \ " ,

the ecohoinic struc-tur~ that developed in connection wi th forei~ t~ade~: .. · . Paradb:tically, the egali tarian nature of the land l(})'IS may have

inhil:>~t.~d

economie:

' 'ci~~~i"6pment

precisely bëoa.use they prevented .

~ co~c~~~rati .~n

^of

,re~

^th^.

and power. Let us suppose that a small group,of~superior military streng1;h,

. . . .• -;. ·. ~. . . . . :. . . • . . . . . . . .• : J. . . ~ . . . '. .

had been: able' to appropria te the land and d,evelop a,, :poli tical syst:~- in w~~~hc';

. . . . ; :-.-- -: .. - ... --r -;-.. -: ;... . . . . ^~ ... . .. !. .. . -. .... ·-· . .-: . - .

"they obtn.i:ried"a·-large share of the agricul tural outpu.1; . through .ren~ or taxes.

. ' • .. r '.·, . : •;: t . ' •.• : . • •• .• :_ . . : . :·;: l.~ . .' • . . '· • .. · ....

Such&~Vstem èxistêd in miniature in various parts of Africa but did not grow1o

. :. --•. . . ·. --. . • . . : . . :·1' . ~ •· . . . _;_ \ \'. .• .. . ... . ·' .•

.

~arg_~ . pr~~;~ ; r~t~ i~ ~~s ~: ~~s

^.^·^.in^.':o

:~. :~ ti'~t~

^Js.

ü~~~,~ -~~Td iY~1 1 .l?r.~d f.ar.~re~c.l;t.il)~ _t k ·

^-,

•

(6)

• . . ·· . : i' .• ·l

I DEP/REPRODUÔTION/210 Page 5

conseque,ncies

i ~n

^:th^e:-é&onom'ic structÙrè:. The

'1 c~ndlo~ds a~d Ù1~ gbvernin~ !,:c{:~~~~

~ ^' ^.^. ^. ^... ^' ^}!^'^•',.' ··~.:. ^·-"~./.·,_~ ^..·.ç· ~-~·:~ ... = \ :' ._1_ ... ~)

would have uséd'-i t'à ·inc6me tto ·buy fô'èd and othor _corl:swnpt,~_on .n.r:.d._inv,estm.e.:t:11;-.-. ~-'

• • < ,•'( : · " " ,_ .. • : : : -~ ' " ' · . • • ' . . . - J--.. . . .·

goods. pël.Tt-: o·f the population w'ould have' left agricu~ tur_e to. ba_çome trad,ers,, r·'

~, ^. ^• ^. ^;· ^{1 .,} ^,.,. ^:..:. ~. ^{,; ::} ^{. ' •..}~.. ¹ ^••l : '~ .'_ -'; . . 1 .

artisans,· sèrvant!3 and the :li'k'e, ···engagëët' fn supplying the needs o_( the l_~j,.S,'4l'e .. ,.

, -~-^. ^{. .} ^•• ⁱ ^:, <: . . . ·-· . : .· , ·. •r-..: . . ; J . . ,

class, and tho fa,r'm-ers· would 'h<:ive hc..é!: to incr~nse agricul tural _pro.~uc~,ion, -·

decreas~r' suhs:ts. tenôe .-

;,rion-agribul tilrnl :'productio-n

~dd p er h à~' s ~-0~-s~e - l~ss

food th-emselva-6

ih- orde~ ·to ::·p~y:~:~i)t '-6~ t ~xe~.-

The eco:riomy

w~·uird

^have ^{.. (',.}

·-~ ^' '·"" : ! . • · ' ' • ~ ^. ^. ':).·~ ^-·

><" '":;:-.

~-

;:""

r ·.·. : . ~i:-.. ^r#r .

become,-~divided -ihto·.:th-ree i'oci;6.'1 clas'se's, as 'desc:i'ibed by the phy~io<:n:ats: -a .

' " -~ :·· .· .· : · . . . -~· _·_r-·_.'{ ·~ .~!~

manufacturing: &hd?.iservi'ée' sec4or wh:l.ch provïâ:ed. for the needs of the ari~tQ-.

·: . _.,. .-, ^'--~' ^.}_ ^~:.

cr

acy~-~-

^and;.:^an:ag:HcuJ.tut'al

seb'tb~

^·

Whi~l\ p~odu~ed

^..^',^tho

whe r ew~-~h;{l ·

^t.^o:_

!'_t~l 1 ^~P.~. ^.-~

popu:La.ti<imLaS ~a--whole-: •7 _:- ·; :: .::,·:; cr .. '

:·JI!he::-ruling

·~oU.p

· would then 'havi;

clianriel~d

part

of~· th~

s

~;~lt.s

¹

·i-~to . :~

'

pal.a~è:SiJmonrtime·nts '·i an~

^public

building~- ::.~

^·'to^·^thè"

ext~rit

^th^n·t^·

i

^t ^:b;il!^t":

r-;~d~-~

^-

~ '~-

• ' . .- ' -.( .• ~ . ' . • .. •• .i.. • :' • ' ' ~ • • ) ':1 ... . . ' ,. .l ~-·:•.. • • 1 . "'' '

irrigation s%•t:èif{s,~ !and ^lo·ther infi-d:s'i-~üctlÎre, 6utput rîer

héad wciilîcl'

have _:ri~e;n ,. '

, . , . · . ! " • ; ' 1 ~:· :_ - , " , ;" , •' ·: : ~-~ . .:.... ·' · Ï -··: ~-= ^{I r} ¹^:.:_ ^• ^' ¹~

anà.-!:.t~';:.ca._paéityr.ef: the 'eco'nomy incroàsèd-. · Teéhnblogical change might also

• • -~ :. --~ -i· . ·• :. - . l ' • ' • : ~" ^•^' ^{: ;} .r.~· l..: :' . - .

have be en' spee'ded up' i:l:s

·a.-

^r^e-sult of this' <hviston· of l'abcF ·in "manufac-turing_

and other acti-vl. tie:s. A ¹¹c:i:v:Üization, ti

' rh

the

classi~ . s~nse~:

might have _rr··

e~~-

J_;,·<It'1

~~

^·_:

geci. perhaps o·ümp-arable ·to

th~sé

^of^India-^{; bhina,}^lBgyp-t, ^Babylon,

Ro~e; .: Mexi~o,

^.

·---·-·. -.wr r·· . . . . . .i _'i{;;, ·. ~ --~- . .

Feru, · etc.,wi th H:i.fgë urban complexes, · impressive s-truatures ançi an extens;iv~

- • - • • .... ,.. ,. !...< -·, ·:.. ; ·.' .... '- j:

communi-cations

··s:yst~m

-- âncl 'European visi to±-s · would

h ~ve b ?e;;;,~?rë

__

: ~~:~rÏ-::'·

... J wi t~ .Af:rica, 'the.n-they had beeri. . . . . . ·. " . " ' ^·^!^j: r-,-~

· Jf.S i-we shali see in the next section wi th rGspect to gold--prodJ.ICti.on éiD<;l ..

-· .r . __ r . , . _ .: ·~· _ · :;. · .... . , \• _, ... · ,-:... (.

foreign·· tra.de;some'thing"rof tin"s nature did·-actually happeil. A military ruling

(7)

IDEP/REPRQDUCTION/210 Page 6

group .-<Ji

fi

arise,. was nblo to approprinte part of'éthe gurplus for i tself,

' J. . '

croated an extensive network of trnde and production,- and established an elnborate q.nd fa:r":"'r-üa.ching poli tica.l empire. Howèver,- 'fO:r .the most part, aside from t:Qe foreign trade sec tor., each household in Ghana: owned what ~i t produced and traded with othor housoholds on a voluntary bnsis.

The r esul t w.as that a large part of the economy ^WJ.s· charncterized by a household subsistence form of economie organisation with a low degree of special.ization and exchange,, .and n low l,evel of mat.erial pr-oduc'tion. Each household was to n large degree an indopendent conter for p~oduction and

consumption ca.rrying on a wido r ange of agriculture, servicel

·and

mD.tlufa.otur- · ... , ing activities. It grew most of its own food, built its own" houses,furniture and equipment₁ provided i ts own clothing, and in a sens-e contairied an :economy- in itself. rt cooperated on tho village ~evel with other households in'activi-

·ties such as defer.ee, and sometimes, house-build'ing: ond la.nd-clenring~o

Al though sorne persans . also specialized in vu.rying degreès in roligious, govern-- mental or m~nufa.cturing .. act~vities, within the village'economy there were few

full-time specialists and there was no elabqvatc ·division of-labor. · ·In an ordinary village, even the chief¹q fat)1i~Y would typicnlly supplyits own food.

'· .

.

A certain amount of: j~ndo betweon vilL::!:ges occurred -in various goods, but i ts volume; relative to pr-oduction, was _low. The abund.ance o"f markets ref.- lected in part their soci:J.l function as a forum far exchanging"ide'as and news, and in part, as a medium of comm_' erce.. House-holds and villc.ges 'Nere to a large

~ ..

extent_ ,a;ç;+f-s.uf.f,icient .~d their connecti_ons wi th neighb· t-lt IB:t'e dominat'ed

. . . L - - ' - -· ....

(8)

•

IDEP/REPRODUCTION/210 Page :1~,: .. ,~:··.:~;·.- .,~~_''-i' ;,' ..

.. :_.; ... · .... <: ... {

by social and poli tical factors rather thnn economie ones.. ^~Vithin the family,

.. i .. ' . . .

woî-Ie ·h:iic! pfoo~duc;t_ vieJ!é' di'-S-6::·i'btitèd' ·~aèc6rdi:rig to . social' rule !ii. I:ThÊÏ womén -arid· ~:[·

the

}6: ting:' lnêri - d:fd: ii

'-cti;spMJïortf6rtatê 'sh2i.re o·~ the wor'k whiie the·:·old ·men -.r oortifuined i:f•'ifisp~oporttdrtrité' ·sharê ot··the ciutpùt• -However, dver;a pe:r'Î:o~f,(tlf_:;a;

·'-i{rë-

'bydlé, . a:·ni!in'(

s io ^t

^m^·^{orë ôr-}^less:·^equail6d^:^:out^•^: ^Such

^à

^syWtêJ\

^~as "-'lnlHi14tdn

ed bjcu~totti''i

lliid

tnii·monopbly·61'knbw1edgé that'eorries 1-dth:tagê i.::·iliitli~rj·than

oy ·

^:t6rae;~.^~±ti6-e^power:·^~a'sin:' the 'httnds' o'f 'the .. · old€et ^ü.Nd physidally-~wê~ëè':ir; :::

meiri~é r~ .

of

·'the ~-·<5 oibmuiti·ty.

'•'Consèqûentiy, ·society did n3t

p6 'L': iti~e i! 'to :: ariy gi>e~t exteri't '-· iAt6 '" ttv6 j; if~c'tbrsi "-'Ôl'w' · proa.U.dné{ f~od

and thé otlièf i5peèiàlfzihg.

i~

^·^.^{':. ·}J:.

Mfuiu:fa:tiutihg:~~~'d" s'etv±c'é'~: -àowevèr~

'thé-àgriëul

turaT ~-'t~ehnb'l'ôgy'!, foi- pr~d,ibing

-t• • ,._ " F '

toba:

stifpiü~:·'S:ha··,: frëeirilf"li' sîgniflëan t portion '¹ôf . thé' p5p1il'àt1o'iitfZ.oin ~icul~

ture .

e±ist~a:

"b'tit'::w'fè useii' in

~ -hch . -~ ; rh

abner that each. fruni'ly

~p·&.n-t1 say,

¹

'0nè .·' ~

. --... -- '>. > • ,._ • --' ·" ·~ ,. • ... • • . > . . • •

thi'i·d

o:f ·'tis'' hmè "oh

food prbdÙétion, instead>of one' fàinily">i.n -~thrêe;,:aotng<this

work·t:&if'' i{fA·~. '~: 6hi.i~~t ~ !Pë:t inn:k · w 1s therèfbrG

low'ù1

n~ï6h4Atire ·bec'â"Use ~·:êaeh

family neêdêa

· ·ci~i}i

ÏÔ

-prod~d~' it~s--

own

co:ri~ùmptiorr.

reqûire·me·ri."t's')

-~ Plfoduc't·i·onL iper

acre was .also low becnuse 30 part-time workers will usually use more land than 10 full-time workers.

:: 1'J.:r.Th~ts-iwati:on· _- de.Soribed: obove.._·' -J.,ed sorne obs_eryers to. _.COJ:l~l\ldj;l _{. ..}_l.~ "'" c;• "'-^..i.~.... ;that,·. ., .. -· Atrican •.

r!'f-annel':B:-'!·W'e>Xt~- tlfapp:ed:.·ihto lQW lev.elf? of 1,l!lderdev:-el9pment.~. P.~.~~t,J,.s,e .of t~.~i_: q.rude teohh()l:ogyJ.; ; H6WBVert· :iJ:t .. se.éms ^mor,^u.useful anp. logical t.~or: vi;ewJ . .A;fric.an:

4

^~gr;j:~

1

cul tural-techno1o.g,Y:·. as; ·the resul:t. of ep_onpm4,c choic~e, ·!~t)l~Pt·}han i.~Oil:f1:J1.:Ç!3, ,.r

. .. ·, . .. -· ...

ofi'~a.ltel"na.Ltive.s'. .[:h 'Point of:'·fc.ct,. ~Ies:t Af!;iGnn .:far~e.;~,: us~d _a, .var~~~~. of -.,

"égtlié~l thrarl .techniq:ues simul-tnn:eouslyt rangipg from _i~-t~:qsi;v:e .Ye,p~r~~!=>Pfl..P. ;-.::

culitivatt:.oh:: ôf

ismhll plots .aro-und ,the cqrnpoun!i,.: using,:rfeJ?,til:iz~r,,;. t..o-;G,~~~~~.ive

' . .. ............. ^~- ^~^'^•^~·-- ^.-. -··

bush-fallow cul tivation, using rouch l and and little labor. On numerous occasions,

(9)

IDEP /REPRODUCTION

/21 o··;-

Page

8.

··.~ ... ;· ^\..... ^~ ^•^{·, .}^•^,· ^••^{• ,!.}^•

•

th~~ w~re .eas~,ly abl~ ,~o.:produce Gr:--~p.ri)ll,lS for-tl;J.e,m;:J.:rket,._ ,r;hen. they wished ta do . so •... There ma;y. hav~ beep· s~r:ne gro\l.Ps. whi9h-. cou1d , just bp.re,ly p:roduqe

~nough f.qqq. to . supp~lf.~, themseJ.y~l=!, !lnd where the .. posai bi~i-ty of.· a more cq;~Dplex

... di vision. of: lab~r di.d ·:npt e~J!;t, .. bu:t in . the ya.l? t m~jori :ty of. cases ₁a. petent:i~

.. a~;-.içultura.J, S\l:rplul:J, ex;i.s.t.l;3d;: alf.d w-.;1_s. :t,~.pt .approp;r:-ia-ted. only because_pf, th~- ;

or!5:9l:li.zatiÇJP of' .S·()C~ety. .1.~9-t_erial produc~ion was lo}i. in H.es t A:f~~Ca!f

..

·S9C}e~

ies.~ .;in pctr t b~·cau13.e oft_h~- stru9.ttq,e

1

of: ~e!P~d" ,;md,-in_pnr:t. bec<;>use af··:tlle .. •:

lack ,of d~Y~,êiO:t:l Gf .l.abor é;IJ,ld specinlizat~.e:n·• .. ·.:How.e:ve:r, .. ,:t.o. counterb,<:>~?nc.~ t<

.. this,. ,leis\lr\:J and luxury ~~re f?pr-ead eve~y. rather. th?-P,. conc~ntrat.ed i:n-a fe~

~.peop1o, ~4· if. per s:e..p~ ta incarne were measurcd :in terms _of,.frcedom :fJ:'om t6ilt re.asonable ~eal th él1ld a rioh and Véi.rie.d life, __ thel} th~ vast, majori ty of . . .. . ·

·. Ghannie.ns probe..bly .. enjoyed. a higher level . of incarne thnn. the ir counterpart_s in th~ gr~at ciyiJ.izations where life.was often nasty, brutish andshort. , ... Slavery and mi~ery ne arly alwa;ys. have been the dual of civilization .•

1 > ^,.^~^.^:

...

II.

The Foreign Trade Economy

' ; .. •t,''l'he village subsistence eêonomy we htwé:-'j'list déeëribed represèrits only

one

lEwel of economie organizati'on:· in Ghana • . Thê for'eign triid'è economy; whîch h-as always'~'pla.yod·~,· an important ·role~ in Ghana· was :based · or.C qui te differènt princ:hples• .t Wè 1night. begin:· by de§cri bing this trnde briefly. · ·~ -~· .. ··

Adam:Sml. th w.:1s qui te wro:hg in his -con,~eëtüre~ that: ''ali the iniand parts o·f Afric~"';'L·· seem· i:h

ali

ages :of the'- world to 'havêCbèeh ih thê-same':<barba.I'OUà

';'Wd_âü:hétviii:ttéa s·tat~ ·in· which;, wo fi

nd

a-t: presen:t." . smith·-had. reasaned ::thàt: .

.. ~ ... _··'_!_{t ..} . ~- . ·. . ^;;.· .. ^:

(10)

•

the lack of r{ver tr3.nsport :had prev~nted :;;peci.o.lization .~-e~ch~~-·r··.: .. <J. ~-..

. _:tt.:·.~:~ , .. ~·1-~~u- . . . ·;· .. ·(::. ·~·-.·"'·-> •. . •.r ··:·· . . • .. ..

"Ther~ ar~ ~n Africn none of those great ir,ù.E;!ts to .ca:r;ry:m<il:~i:time>.Q-Pmmerce

.. ... __ , .:.. . ^.r·:^{~ .•lj~} ^' ^;. ^. ^. ^- ^.-.^~ ^.: ^J ^• ^•

into the interior parts of th~,:gre<:J.t -.. . . . ^. cop,tir).ent-: ^. .. . . ' .. . ^~. . nnd the. ' ~-e~t ïfiY.~~~s.;.. . : of'l:Af_rica

are at too . great distnn9<? ~rom . one .!,'p1otl).er.,._.tq givc occa,sion-~t9:t~Y·.1~on.$,ider.,..

;:;.:...::j· ·-:~ .;:- :·.~;··;:~.: ... : -·::.~-- .-~~ -·;:·: . •. :. ,:1-- .. -1,~-•• .. · ... -~-'-~- r ... :~.. .... ·· .. · ----· · ... ·.. ·- ...

able inlat;}d navigation." In acj;uFl.l fact, nn. extensive. inl~r+Q.c;::netwo:Jik~.of _. ~,

f ·!·~~ ... :.. :_ •-;: _;; ;r_ .[. ••. -~----"· .· ., __ · . . ····'·. . •·'-... ' ·. . . , . ' . . , ... . . . . .

intra:.;.Afri_?él:ll ~,;r.,aqe ~~d. exist.ed, .;Loljlg .J?cfore Adam )3mi th '.s tt.m~!i:a:nd.rihaq-.i~~te;P;~

_ .. 1. •• ..: _l_ ~- •• -~.:... .... • • • ·: • '. • ·'· : • !.. '• • .t •••• :·.. ... .. . •.. • w. ••

-~~f:e~ )a.rge .g~~t.s; of_ ~.~~: c?:IJ,!ip.~n~ ._ ~~9 ~he world :e,co·nol'('ly,~·-.i~9ll1d:irü~ }the.:.: .• ~,

}.e.~r~!O.,:;! ,~EC~J!1P~~f3E3:~ by ,_~8de:j::.p W;.WJ;~"'·•:.<·

' . . . .. ';

^r^·:.··~~:!:: _; r .c~~

.. _ '. • -· .,-. , .

. . , Th,e ._,m_fl,i_n;.l.in~ p.etweep Ghqr+a. p.nd; ~the -~:est of t}le~·-w.opld·--Jl~~. b~9~ ~qoqgh-.i

"":.~-.!~-- .. ,_, •••.• ~ ... _;\.;,t ... ~· 'J ..• .l.f ... , \ • • • •• } ... • \; •' .. -.-~-!-· ·' ... . .. .

.:.

-~~;.:-W>.--~_~}r_?~e,

- C.A:d

<·:t~is:::l..~~: 9.0ll:n.P~-~~ng -P~~n&

J? ·

v~~t~F?: ~;r~_pEt,, .• fjrest-~, --~>·'t

indirec:t~Y-,:th,rougl:J,,. l~qz.:j;)l .~r,_i .. oq. and then .di;rectly, thr.oug}l -th~ oQas.tp.l ;::,tr:a4-e<;;;

\~:..fA.r·_;'·,.~-.:·.: .·.. ,.. ·;.. .. , .. :·,,._, .. ~ :.1 ... .... : .. : \ ··; !.... ..., .... . . 1 ,· . .. ~· . • .

\.~; ~~;~f\1?.;[_}·•-,oqp l,._,e,a.r,s :Ft:~:· .•ti:"t_r~~~ }?-G.en arfSUed thr.t: t4~· liff?·P ~9~n.q}t!3st:9fl:.,;r:. r; ..

Nort}\-~O§?ft,::in.};he .e~g~.::~f peptu,r.l change~ the ~~edit~_:r,re1AeéiDL"f)~~un .. "a ..-1-i~ ."-t9~·;?-

--^·~· .

bél.ffi,~r t;:•J~~~:n~;pl;. h:;~)-P,ing. _;t,o ~~s trq1 -~ ts Ro~an oconozp_;y;,, :\i~th~,~~ qp~rnparty±~ ;J-

. ^~ .. ·-. .

r_~,tr~_a,_t ~n, ,?{es~~r~ Eu:r9p_e to 11 ,E>.uh~istence economy, ··~il.Ilsl,_, t~e, c_Pt+Pfi·~~pt grpw.:ijl

·, J,'J :0,. ;~' • .,.i ':.• .: ,• .r.·;;; • ... -. ' ~ .. - , . '~ .,._ '-· • • •: "'• '

o_f. f~:u:4a~is!)1~. !JY po;n~,;ré:l:~t_,. howav_e:r, the effe:çt~ in tJest~.f\f.:ric,a' qf, th.f3' gro_li~tp,

:.~. ' -~---···-''(, . !-:•.)•: .:- .. •;• .. \ " ' ' ... .•. . . . .

?( . -tP(\

.~f.~-pc?.P.~TlJYt .. waf> .. ~;to;' ~0~Jil~:ate trad~, a!ld. ur bani~

a

~~P(Yl\l Gol,9~, •. s,l,~y~,S); an_<\,pp.lff~~tft,~_:;peppe;r- --. "gra~ns P.f.J pa,r_a~s~.:'- ~~. flowe_f3::n?r.:t;~w~rii:r~fr,~.ft;:;J\çs~ u Afri~;~}?;\}?'i99-?UJ.g.~ f.?.r :P:-so~t~~.ard,_. ~19W: ,?f f)al t, ~?: m_~uf,ac_t,~pe~ -.~ t~f!i_t'L ..'L •:: \' esp;e:f·:H~lr}-Y,P.~~t,Po? ~e~_f_;i.-~es_. . .. . .... ,:x ~; ... , . ,, ^r 1 ., _,_.~r

<Î j ·:

:,<. ~-;· P~; -f, e !f>ul,t •

^o_^{f tp.is}

net~~?:'~! : g~!3a_t

^.^,^trading

~!U:P~r.yfl;1ç~~, .·) ,M~.i,

^..

~ongh,~)

^·

f~rrned '

in the interior of Afric3., i!l,tht;_

s~y:~'l.h be.f.: t• .:: ~O':f!J. ,~~ the ·

Su.dan

~

"the ... _{;'countr,Y,; ₁ _,_-~/_· _{. .} of_·_....c~lfe _'·· _-~_'•Black peopl~~'.! _._- _. _t._:_{-... .}_{. ,}_.. _•·,This _..._.. ~er~itq>ry,._• _. _{. ,.} _·_.lies ,b~t~~~ _.._{. .}_-~_.·_{-· ..} _.the.-._.Sçù,:l,_ara _._.

• 1: - j

·~.

(11)

..

IDEP /REPRbDUCTI ON /2-10 · .. ^.. ^r•····'"

Page 10 -

desert•

nn:d thé

tfcrpiCD.l fdresti:J

tb·,

the -south. Acbording to

Na:Ûily,

"the_;

i'lestcr:h'"SudariJ;\.ré\6, fr6m the eighth'-cÈmtÛry tintil the ·discovery of

kneric~~ ~he

êhief. suppÜ.'c:t o:f·gold for thi/

l~e stern w~rld~"5

"';'.-.···

and -the

~areii

known today as·

Ghnn.?.. h~s ·n~-t

yet 'bei.ni

e~tabiished.

It is') cléé.r,

ho'Wévêr, that

imp'ort <~~t ·Îinkàges

did exist

~nd ·-trin:t· Gh'~gn d2.~X:ied 6ri· :.~ii ,

extensivè :-trddê wi:th. cithE1r. p'drts or Africa throu:gh üilm1a r6~tes ta· -t-h6 N-or~h and· by •se a .w.i th Nigeria. 6 Hhen the PortU:gueê'e

·: :teac}ied. ·

Elll'lïrta'6!). ··the. Go1d'¹èoàst i:ri 1471,' they. found ·trade:t's-fron( the Mali emp'fr&;· n-nd a èommetci<Üizetf economy.

Indced 'ït'·was-precisëly becausè Ghano. had boen integrated. into .the cont:inéntal tr6.ding system that :1. t was so Attractive to Europerur trndersë

'.:A

highl.:y

developed ·sys't~m · existecl for producing aiJ.d sé1Ü.ng· gOld whioh had~-preVibusly been ·sent ovê:flarrd 'to }Ïorth Africa in ·exbhirrge'Jfor''·6~Ù~-th. The P6rt~gùes~·

tappi;d 'thié~-i'syét~m and' were ~ble to buy~ 1

argë'

quantfties of this· golcf at'··thé Coas't ..• '(ltehtis been estimc..ted th.J.t the POrtuguese shipments 6f golà froril the

Gold.

'Coast in thë·, carly l6th century amoru1tëci:·t'o from"'"l./2 to' 1 ton a year and equaled about

;tjioih '

of the world ¹s 'gold supp!Ly). 7 Another mâ:in i tom of trade

. ... . _, ;! ~• _.; -. -. ,. . r 1 .• , ._ . ,._ ... ~-.. -: : • _ ...,. • .. • .• ,, •. · .

was .oloth which: présentéd--b. :Pëculi:J.r problem b-e cause-of· thè e:Xisting native pr~ferenc.'e" fo:r:'tii:e N6-tth Africn:n ma.nufactur"i3

otte!-

^thâ:f

bf

the· .Pdrtugüese~

Therefore, the Portuguese, in ordcr to satisfy Host ·ltf±'îcan 'tas tes,·· bought ·

' ; ., .. ;·\ l .... ' ;-. . .. ,. . '• .. . .· . ·'

cloth ih. North Afri•a;ïtideed, ·they even commissi·oned· men on the Barbary Coast 1

"'-'to ·ma.ke !'abries espec!?a-ily 'for this trncle;. 8 (

Europe ¹s success"

' i.b

breaking the Arab monopoly' of the: Gold Tradef by · ''