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.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The 1908 Policy and Training
3. Financial Support and the Land Bank
4. Promotion of Land Ownership and Incentives
5. Scientific Support and Technical Services
6. Labour Supply and Regulation
7. Marketing and Economic Control
8. Summary and Conclusion
Objectives and Scope
This work examines the mechanisms through which the British South Africa Company (BSAC) facilitated the development of white settler capitalist agriculture in Southern Rhodesia between 1908 and 1914, while simultaneously marginalizing indigenous peasant farming.
- The implementation of white agricultural policies and professional training under the BSAC.
- State-led financial support, land reform, and the creation of credit facilities for white settlers.
- The mobilization of a coerced labour force through legislation and taxation.
- Scientific and technical intervention to increase farm productivity and export capability.
- The strategic manipulation of market conditions to ensure the dominance of settler agricultural production.
Excerpt from the Book
The period between 1906 to 1923
“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-sufficiency1.” 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. 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.
Firstly. In 1908 the BSA Company introduced the first policy that encouraged white immigrants to embark on farming in Southern Rhodesia through professional agricultural training. According to Machingaidze the BSA Co Board of Directors, headed by Henry Birchenough assisted in the reorganization of the Agricultural Department under the directorship of Dr. Eric Nobhs to form the 1908 Private Location Ordinance. C.D. Wise, who was an agriculture expert was sent to Southern Rhodesia for the purpose of receiving and training settlers in general, in accordance with the methods submitted in his report. The Directors explained a bold settlement policy to their shareholders that it was going to be the Company's interest to assist settlers to take up farms already prepared for their occupation, by the support and facilities offered them, rather than by giving them raw land at plain value2.
Immigrants from Britain who wanted to embark on commercial agriculture were therefore trained by the government of Britain under the wing of the British South Africa Company. It is also worth noting that this kind of training was given to white settler farmers, not the indigenous peoples.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section establishes the timeframe of 1908-1914 as a critical phase where white settler agriculture was intentionally fostered through specific company policies.
The 1908 Policy and Training: This chapter details the establishment of professional agricultural training programs and the reorganization of the Department of Agriculture for white settlers.
Financial Support and the Land Bank: This chapter discusses the provision of capital and agricultural loans via the Loans Ordinance and the creation of the Land Bank.
Promotion of Land Ownership and Incentives: This chapter explains the reduction of land prices and the use of share-issuing incentives to attract commercial farmers.
Scientific Support and Technical Services: This chapter covers the recruitment of overseas experts to improve techniques in tobacco and cotton farming.
Labour Supply and Regulation: This chapter examines how the Private Location Ordinance and taxation were used to force Africans into wage labour.
Marketing and Economic Control: This chapter highlights the BSAC's role in controlling market prices to disadvantage African farmers while boosting settler profitability.
Summary and Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes how the BSAC provided total support—from credit to labour—to establish a capitalist settler economy.
Keywords
Southern Rhodesia, BSAC, Settler Agriculture, Capitalist Agriculture, Peasant Agriculture, Private Location Ordinance, Land Bank, Labour supply, Colonial Policy, Agrarian Capitalism, 1908-1914, Agricultural Training, Settler Colonialism, Indigenous Displacement, Economic History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The text analyzes the development of white settler capitalist agriculture in Southern Rhodesia between 1908 and 1914, focusing on the systemic interventions made by the British South Africa Company.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key themes include agricultural policy, land allocation, financial subsidies, technical training, labour recruitment, and the political economy of colonial markets.
What is the main research question or objective?
The work aims to explain why the period between 1908 and 1914 is classified as the "phase of white agricultural policy" and how the BSAC actively engineered this transformation.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a historical-analytical approach, synthesizing primary archival data and scholarly interpretations of colonial economic history to map systemic changes in land and labour use.
What aspects of the colonial economy are addressed in the main body?
The text explores state-provided training, the legislative structure of the Land Bank, the use of taxation to coerce labour, and the deliberate price-manipulation of agricultural products.
What keywords characterize the work?
The work is defined by terms such as Agrarian Capitalism, Settler Agriculture, British South Africa Company (BSAC), and Colonial Land Policy.
How did the Private Location Ordinance specifically impact labour?
It formalized tenancy, increased licensing fees for landlords who hosted African tenants, and limited the number of tenants per farm, forcing excess populations into reserves or wage labour.
What role did agricultural experts from overseas play?
They provided critical technical guidance, especially in tobacco and cotton cultivation, which was identified as a vital form of "capital" made available exclusively to the white settlers.
How were profits for white settler farmers guaranteed?
Profits were secured by controlling market access, offering favorable credit terms, and manipulating cattle trading prices to ensure white farmers could outcompete African producers.
- Quote paper
- Lwandze Dlamini (Author), 2019, The development of settler Agriculture in Southern Rhodesia, 1908 to 1914, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1436998
