This book examines five hundred years of South African economic history.

Why has Africa remained persistently poor over its recorded history? Has Africa always been poor? What has been the nature of Africa's poverty and how do we exp

‘This is a desperately needed book. It not only surveys the field of African economic history at the level of undergraduate students, but provides several fre

While sharing some characteristics with other middle-income countries, South Africa is a country with a unique economic history and distinctive economic feature

This book questions the notion that South Africa can exert effective political leverage over its economically dependent neighbors while itself remaining free of