Social Transformation

In its experience of colonialism, Swaziland is not alone. The broad trends identified in the transformation of pre-colonial African societies apply equally to this country, surrounded on three sides by South Africa. In the development from the colonial to the capitalist mode of production new social forces have been unleashed and old ones transformed. The Zwazi population has been dramatically affected by alienation, explotation and appropriation. In outlining this experience, this book provides a vital analytical link in the social and economic history of Swaziland. Chapters cover labour migration, the effects of colonial rule on the pre-capitalist aristocracy, the growth of settler and cash crop farmers, the industrialization of agriculture and the appropriation of peasant labour. Industries in investigated include mining, cotton, forestry and sugar. Written by African social scientists, this volume makes an essential contribution to the ongoing debate and analysis of the impact of colonialism on Africa, while providing a detailed record of the unique case of Swaziland.