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Land abundance and economic institutions: Egba land and slavery, 1830–1914

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  • JAMES FENSKE

Abstract

The ``land abundance'' view of African history uses sparse population to explain economic institutions. I provide supporting evidence from the Egba of Nigeria. I use early colonial court records to show that Egba institutions fit the theory's predictions. Before 1914, the Egba had poorly defined land rights, practiced extensive agriculture, relied on dependant and forced labor, and used labor to secure loans. There are two major exceptions. First, the Egba sold some land. Second, land disputes existed. These are explained by land scarcity when the Egba initially arrived at Abeokuta and by heterogeneity in the quality of land.
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Suggested Citation

  • James Fenske, 2012. "Land abundance and economic institutions: Egba land and slavery, 1830–1914," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 65(2), pages 527-555, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ehsrev:v:65:y:2012:i:2:p:527-555
    DOI: j.1468-0289.2011.00613.x
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/j.1468-0289.2011.00613.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Marazyan, Karine, 2025. "The effects of rainfall shocks on divorce requests: Evidence from Colonial Senegal," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(2), pages 317-344.
    2. Mattia C. Bertazzini, 2023. "The effect of settler farming on indigenous agriculture: Evidence from Italian Libya," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 76(1), pages 31-59, February.
    3. Lindert, Peter H. & Nafziger, Steven, 2014. "Russian Inequality on the Eve of Revolution," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 74(3), pages 767-798, September.
    4. Frankema, Ewout & van Waijenburg, Marlous, 2019. "The Great Convergence. Skill Accumulation and Mass Education in Africa and Asia, 1870-2010," CEPR Discussion Papers 14150, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Jacobus Cilliers, 2013. "Coercion, Con," OxCarre Working Papers 113, Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies, University of Oxford.
    6. Marazyan, Karine, 2022. "Documenting Inter-personal Conflicts in Senegal during the First Quarter the 20th Century using Dispute Registries from native courts," CEPREMAP Working Papers (Docweb) 2209, CEPREMAP.
    7. Fenske, James, 2013. "“Rubber will not keep in this country”: Failed development in Benin, 1897–1921," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 316-333.
    8. Bezemer, Dirk & Bolt, Jutta & Lensink, Robert, 2014. "Slavery, Statehood, and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 148-163.
    9. Ryan Bubb, 2013. "The Evolution of Property Rights: State Law or Informal Norms?," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 56(3), pages 555-594.
    10. Gareth Austin & Stephen Broadberry, 2014. "Introduction: The renaissance of African economic history," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 67(4), pages 893-906, November.
    11. Russo Gaino, Vitória, 2024. "Indigenous land and colonial institutions: how Aztec and Tupi landownership practices impacted the haciendas of New Spain and engenhos in Brazil," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125844, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Alexander Klein & Sheilagh Ogilvie, 2017. "Was Domar Right? Serfdom and Factor Endowments in Bohemia," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 344, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    13. Ewout Frankema & Marlous van Waijenburg, 2023. "What about the race between education and technology in the Global South? Comparing skill premiums in colonial Africa and Asia," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 76(3), pages 941-978, August.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N17 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Africa; Oceania
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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