Labour and Living Standards in Pre-Colonial West Africa - 9781848935785

Taylor & Francis

Sub-Saharan Africa is the poorest region in the world. But its current status has skewed our understanding of the economy before colonization. R\u00F6nnb\u00E4ck reconstructs the living standards of the population at a time when the Atlantic slave trade brought money and men into the area, enriching our understanding of West African economic development. > Sub-Saharan Africa is the poorest region in the world. But its current status has skewed our understanding of the economy before colonization. R\u00F6nnb\u00E4ck reconstructs the living standards of the population at a time when the Atlantic slave trade brought money and men into the area, enriching our understanding of West African economic development. > \n1. Introduction: theory and method 2. The Gold Coast in African economic history 3. Sources and source criticism 4. Work ethic and the division of labour 5. Work and wages at the Cape Coast Castle 6. Domestic markets for goods 7. Housing and material wealth 8. Living stans