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Potential for Diversification? The Role of the Formal Sector in Bechuanaland Protectorate's Economy, 1900–65

Potential for Diversification? The Role of the Formal Sector in Bechuanaland Protectorate's... AbstractWhile Botswana since independence has experienced impressive economic growth and development this progress has not been accompanied by economic diversification and endogenous growth. In this article we focus on the colonial period and investigate to what extent the formal sector of Bechuanaland Protectorate (colonial Botswana) had the potential to constitute the basis for a diversification of the dominating cattle economy away from its dependency on exporting a single natural resource good – beef. We base our study on colonial archive sources and anthropological evidence which we use to: examine labour market structures; estimate welfare ratios and surplus; and discuss government spending. We find that the demand for skilled labour and human capital development was low throughout the colonial period and that the private sector generally lacked the economic strength and dynamics to develop alternative and/or complementary sectors. Further, we find no evidence of demand driven diversification, neither stemming from private sector consumption and investments, nor from government spending on economic activities outside the cattle sector, infrastructure and human capital development. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Economic History of Developing Regions Taylor & Francis

Potential for Diversification? The Role of the Formal Sector in Bechuanaland Protectorate's Economy, 1900–65

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References (51)

Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2015 Economic History Society of Southern Africa
ISSN
2078-0397
eISSN
2078-0389
DOI
10.1080/20780389.2015.1066671
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AbstractWhile Botswana since independence has experienced impressive economic growth and development this progress has not been accompanied by economic diversification and endogenous growth. In this article we focus on the colonial period and investigate to what extent the formal sector of Bechuanaland Protectorate (colonial Botswana) had the potential to constitute the basis for a diversification of the dominating cattle economy away from its dependency on exporting a single natural resource good – beef. We base our study on colonial archive sources and anthropological evidence which we use to: examine labour market structures; estimate welfare ratios and surplus; and discuss government spending. We find that the demand for skilled labour and human capital development was low throughout the colonial period and that the private sector generally lacked the economic strength and dynamics to develop alternative and/or complementary sectors. Further, we find no evidence of demand driven diversification, neither stemming from private sector consumption and investments, nor from government spending on economic activities outside the cattle sector, infrastructure and human capital development.

Journal

Economic History of Developing Regions – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jul 3, 2015

Keywords: Botswana; colonial era; formal economy; economic diversification; endogenous growth; N1 N57 O1

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