Peasant proudction and limits to labour Thyolo and Mzimba Districts in Malawi, mid-1930s to late-1970s
Author
Summary, in English
This study differs in that it takes its point of departure in the structure of peasant economies and contrasts these structures with possible strategies of increasing production per capita. Through an extensive use of archival and oral sources, the author shows that, given the technology level, the persistence of low production capacity is found in local structures and institutions that are similar in the two cases. Of crucial importance are the structures of partial integration that set limits to labour supply and flexibility, as are the property regimes that create institutional barriers to the profitable use of additional labour. In sum, peasant farms lack access to cheap and easily available labour. In the concluding chapter the historical findings are related to current trends of peasant agriculture in Malawi. The author argues that the limitations and barriers to increased production still prevail, and that any strategy to increase production per capita of peasant farms has to be based on the awareness that labour is not a low-cost and easily attainable factor of production.
Department/s
Publishing year
2005
Language
English
Publication/Series
Lund Studies in Economic History
Volume
35
Document type
Dissertation
Publisher
Department of Economic History, Lund University
Topic
- Economic History
Keywords
- Social and economic history
- production
- peasant
- Malawi
- Africa
- accumulation
- agriculture
- Ekonomisk och social historia
Status
Published
Supervisor
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1400-4860
- ISBN: 91-22-02130-2
Defence date
24 September 2005
Defence time
10:15
Defence place
Lund University School of Economics and Management Tycho Brahes Väg 1 Lund
Opponent
- Gareth Austin (Dr.)