Feinstein s interest in economic history began in a class taught by helen suzman at the university of the witswatersrand in 1950. Economic history the south african economic history society of. The arrival of europeans in south africa and their gradual conquest of african peoples, the establishment and exercise of colonial control over africans, and, later, apartheid all had major impacts on group identity formation and change. It replaced the flag that had been used since 1928, and was chosen to represent multiculturalism and ethnic diversity in the countrys new, postapartheid democratic society. An economic history of south africa is an excellent overview of the countys history. A modern history 1988 6 3 s dubow south africas struggle for human rights 2012 36 4 d everatt the origins of nonracialism in south africa. A growing literature confirms that migration confers economic benefit to migrants and their households,,,,, and this is no less true in south africa, where in the 1990s some 16% of the rural population moved annually to urban areas to escape poverty and provide financial support to families left behind. Feinstein offers an authoritative survey of five hundred years of south african economic history from the years preceding european settlements in 1652 through to the postapartheid era. Over the next two centuries, military conquest and. White opposition to apartheid in the 1950s 2009 19. Conquest, discrimination, and development charles h. The purpose of this article is to promote the revival of african econ omic history. European colonial practices, wars between the dutch and the koi, and dutch hunting raids over time. Abstract for the past three or four decades, most economic historians have come to embrace quantitative methods as the sine qua non of their subfield.
After the discovery of hominins at taung and australopithecine fossils in limestone caves at sterkfontein, swartkrans, and kromdraai these areas were collectively. Conquest discrimination and development ellen mcarthur. We take a look at the economic performance of south africa s economy under its various presidents and finance ministers. South african mining equipment and related services. A broad visual overview of south african history and the rich tapestry of early people who made it their home from its first inhabitants, the khoisan, to the many. The prehistory and history of south africa span nearly the entire known existence of human beings and their ancestorssome three million years or moreand include the wandering of small bands of hominins through the savanna, the inception of herding and farming as ways of. The aboriginal indigenous people the san bushmen and khoikhoi collectively known as khoisan were joined by an influx of bantu and europeans to evolve into presentday south africas cultural makeup. Conquest, discrimination and development by charles h.
Below a graph showing south africa s annual gdp per capita rand value of the south african economy per person living in it, as calculated by south african market insights. Conquest, discrimination and development ellen mcarthur lectures by feinstein, charles h. Hopkins 2009, the new economic history of africa, in the journal of african history, 50, pp 155177. It would be a shame if the readership of this accessible volume were confined to those studying economic history, for no. The narrative ends with the democratic transition in 1994. Conquest, discrimination and development, charles h. This book provides a reliable introduction to the economic history of south africa. Ernest oppenheimer and the economic development of. Conquest, discrimination and development ellen mcarthur lectures at. Conquest, discrimination and development charles h. This is an excellent survey of south african economic history, with an emphasis on developments after the discovery of diamonds and gold in the late 19th century.
The flag of republic of south africa was adopted on 27 april 1994. Feinstein new york, cambridge university press, 2005 302 pp. Feinstein 2005 an economic history of south africa. An economic history of south africa semantic scholar. Cape town, south africa, the university of cape town, and milton keynes, the open university. Throughout this period south africa produced twice as much electricity and six times as much steel as the rest of the african continent combined while at the same time. Issn 008266 full text not available from this repository. Throughout the 1960s, south africa had economic dominance over the rest of africa and was considered the only developed country in africa by the united nations economic criteria. Conquest, discrimination and development ellen mcarthur lectures. Firstly the share of mining in gdp stood at 11% in 1994, but has steadily declined over an eighteen year period to its current 5% in 2012. From that point forward the economic history of south africa becomes, in essence, a story of how this unique combination of the indigenous population, european settlers, and mineral resources was brought together in a process of conquest, dispossession, discrimination and development to promote rapid economic progress p 3. Conquest, discrimination and development charles feinstein surveys five hundred years of south african economic history from the years.
South africas economic history south african market insights. Other articles where history of south africa is discussed. Conquest, discrimination, and development latin america. The first modern humans are believed to have inhabited south africa more than 100,000 years ago. The root causes of south africas severe inequality can be traced back to the establishment of cape town, a dutch shipping port in the 1650s. Apr 05, 2018 inequality in south africa continues to be a major issue as the country moves to distance itself from its apartheid era exclusionary style. It was an overwhelmingly pastoral economy and wealth was measured in the number of cattle men held. Sorry, we are unable to provide the full text but you may find it at the following locations. He charts the early phase of slow growth, and then the transformation of the economy as a result of the. Contested substantive equality in the south african. In his 2005 book, an economic history of south africa.
Conquest, discrimination and development ellen mcarthur lectures feinstein, charles h. Conquest, discrimination and development cambridge. Download citation an economic history of south africa. While briefly sketching the background of sas economy before the rise of democracy. South africa is a country of many cultures, known by its citizens as the rainbow nation. This book is the first economic history of south africa in over sixty years. In short, the share of mining in national output has more than. Inequality in south africa is still being perpetuated today. An economic history of south africa highlights the costs that have been imposed on the majority populations and the economy itself by the illogic of racial exploitation and the denial of educational and occupational opportunity.
Poverty, the most pressing issue confronting the continent, has. Below a graph showing south africas annual gdp per capita rand value of the south african economy per person living in it, as calculated by south african market insights. The purpose of this article is to promote the revival of african economic history. Feinsteins an economic history of south africa is a welcome departure from this trend. Feinstein offers an authoritative survey of five hundred.
An economic history of south africa this book is the first economic history of south africa in over sixty years. Feinstein offers an authoritative survey of five hundred years of south african economic history from the years preceding european settlements in 1652 through to the end of the apartheid era. Ernest oppenheimer and the economic development of southern. Poverty, the most pressing issue confronting the continent, has received worldwide publicity in recent years. Gender, migration and hiv in rural kwazulunatal, south africa. The general effect has been to produce rigorous, highly technical research papers, limiting the. Conquest, discrimination and development charles feinstein surveys five hundred years of south. Feinstein, reader in recent social and economic history charles h feinstein, feinstein charles h.
As can be seen from the graph during thabo mbekis tenure south africans enjoyed a surge in gdp per capita, while more recently the gdp per capita has remained relatively flat hardly any growth from 2010 to 2015. Feinstein argues that the character and course of south africas economic history was influenced by a unique endowment of both human and natural resources. Prior to the arrival of european settlers in the 15th century the economy of what was to become south africa was dominated by subsistence agriculture and hunting in the north, central and east of the country tribes of bantu peoples occupied land on a communal basis under tribal chiefdoms. Aneconomichistoryofsouthafrica this book is the first economic history of south africa in over sixty years. Feinstein charles feinstein surveys five hundred years of south african economic history from the years preceding european settlements in 1652 through to the postapartheid era. Analysis of village survey data in east india, economic and political weekly, no. Beyond old and new in african economic history the economic dimension of the african past was a central theme in the development of african history as a discipline, from the appearance of dikes seminal monograph in 1956 and through. Inequality in south africa continues to be a major issue as the country moves to distance itself from its apartheid era exclusionary style. An economic history of south africa charles h feinstein. Growth constraints and policy mmcp discussion paper no 5. This page will provide a detailed overview of south africa s economy since the start of its democracy in 1994. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The negative consequences of migration on the hiv epidemic. South africas prehistory has been divided into two phases based on broad patterns of technology namely the stone age and iron age.