An examination of the varied ways, outside and inside markets, in which Asante producers obtained labor, land and capital during the transformative era. This is a study of the changing rules and relationships within which natural, human and man-made resources were mobilized for production during the development of an agricultural export economy in Asante, a major West African kingdom which became, by 1945, the biggest regional contributor to Ghana's status as the world's largest cocoa producer. The period 1807-1956 as a whole was distinguished in Asante history by relatively favorable political conditions for indigenous as well as (during colonial rule) for foreign private enterprise. It saw generally increasing external demands for products that could be produced on Asante land. This book, which fills a major gap in Asante economic history, transcends the traditional divide between studies of precolonial and of twentieth-century African history. It analyses the interaction of coercion and the market in the context of a rich but fragile natural environment, the central process being a transition from slavery and debt-bondage to hired labor and agricultural indebtedness. It contributes to the broad debate about Africa's historic combination of emerging 'capitalist' institutions and persistent 'precapitalist' ones, and tests the major theories of the political economy of institutional change. It is written accessibly for an interdisciplinary readership. Gareth Austin is a lecturer in Economic History, London School of Economics and Political Science, and Joint Editor of the 'Journal of African History'.

A history of property rights and markets, of ownership and control in what economists call the factors of production; land, labour and capital. This is a description and analysis of how resources for production were mobilized during the development of Ghana's agricultural export economy.

This report is based on field work carried out in the Akyem Abuakwa area of the forest region of Ghana, a section of the country rich in agricultural land, gold, and diamonds. Through the field work which was undertaken and the empirical material generated, the author attempts to chart the processes and patterns of differentiation connected to land and land use in contemporary Ghana.

This book presents a critical analysis of the ‘resource curse’ doctrine and a review of the international evidence on oil and urban development to examine the role of oil on property development and rights in West Africa’s new oil metropolis - Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. It seeks answers to the following questions: In what ways did the city come into existence? What changes to property rights are oil prospecting, explorations, and production introducing in the 21st century? How do the effects vary across different social classes and spectrums? To what extent are local and national institutions able to shape, restrain, and constrain trans-national oil-related accumulation and its effects on property in land, property in housing (residential, leisure, and commercial), and property in labour? How do these processes connect with the entire urban system in Ghana? This book shows how institutions of varying degrees of power interact to govern land, housing, and labour in the city, and analyses how efficient, sustainable, and equitable the outcomes of these interactions are. It is a comprehensive account of the tensions and contradictions in the main sectors of the urban economy, society, and environment in the booming Oil City and will be of interest to urban economists, development economists, real estate economists, Africanists and urbanists.

The report highlights the long history of commodification of land and labour in Ghana, linked to speculative activities and more recently to the activities of international capital, agribusiness, international agricultural centres, and agencies of the state. It makes the case for a new land, agrarian and natural resource regime that prioritises domestic economic needs to provide security of livelihood to the generality of the people.

As Ghana approaches its 60th birthday, optimism and worries for the future continue to be present in equal measure. Economic growth in the last decade has been high by historical standards. Indeed, recent rebasing of GDP figures has put Ghana over the per capita income threshold into Middle Income Country status. However, structural transformation has lagged behind. Fiscal discipline has also eroded significantly and there is heavy borrowing, especially on the commercial market, while elements of the natural resource curse from oil have already occurred. The question most observers ask is whether the gains from two decades of reforms are being reversed. Given this background, this volume brings together leading established and young economists, from within and outside Ghana, to analyze and assess the challenges facing Ghana's economy as it enters its seventh decade and the nation heads towards three quarters of a century of independence. The chapters cover the major macroeconomic and sectoral issues, including fiscal and monetary policy, trade and industrialization, agriculture and infrastructure. The volume also covers a full range of social issues including poverty and inequality, education, health, gender, and social protection. The book also examines the implications of the oil boom for Ghanaian development, and the role of institutions.