Economic development, labour policy, and trade unions in the Sudan, 1898-1958
Like many other African colonies, the Sudan experienced a period of sustained industrial unrest during the late 1940s. The Workersâ Affairs Association (WAA), the representative body for Sudanese railway workers, led a two year campaign of strikes during 1947 and 1948. The escalating labour unrest provoked considerable unease among British officials in the Sudan Government. Not only was there a fear that the strikes might escalate into broader anti-colonial protest but the sustained campaign of industrial unrest also caused significant disruption to the economy. During the strikes the export of cotton - the Sudan Governmentâs principal source of revenue - was delayed and the movement of other essential goods was severely restricted. The thesis argues that the economic dislocation caused by the strikes, which coincided with growing concerns about rising anti-colonial nationalism and imperial decline, meant that labour discipline among key sector workers was the primary objective for the late colonial state. Although the protests in the Sudan were part of the broader strike wave that was sweeping through the African continent in the late 1940s, it has largely been excluded from the historiography of this
Curless, Gareth Michael
Sudan ; labour ; imperialism ; trade unions ; African labour history
Economic development, labour policy, and trade unions in the Sudan, 1898-1958. Like many other African colonies, the Sudan experienced a period of sustained industrial unrest during the late 1940s. The Workersâ Affairs Association (WAA), the representative body for Sudanese railway workers, led a two year campaign of strikes during 1947 and 1948. The escalating labour unrest provoked considerable unease among British officials in the Sudan Government. Not only was there a fear that the strikes might escalate into broader anti-colonial protest but the sustained campaign of industrial unrest also caused significant disruption to the economy. During the strikes the export of cotton - the Sudan Governmentâs principal source of revenue - was delayed and the movement of other essential goods was severely restricted. The thesis argues that the economic dislocation caused by the strikes, which coincided with growing concerns about rising anti-colonial nationalism and imperial decline, meant that labour discipline among key sector workers was the primary objective for the late colonial state. Although the protests in the Sudan were part of the broader strike wave that was sweeping through the African continent in the late 1940s, it has largely been excluded from the historiography of this
economic_development labour policy trade_union sudan like many african colony sudan experience period sustain industrial_unrest workers association representative body sudanese railway worker lead campaign strike escalate labour unrest provoke considerable unease among british_official sudan government fear strike might escalate broad anti_colonial protest sustain campaign industrial_unrest also cause significant disruption economy strike export cotton sudan government principal_source revenue delayed movement essential good severely restrict argues economic dislocation cause strike coincide grow concern rise anti_colonial nationalism imperial decline mean labour discipline among key sector worker primary_objective late_colonial state although protest sudan part broader strike wave sweeping african continent largely exclude historiography