Black pastoralists, white farmers : the dynamics of land dispossession and labour recruitment in southern Namibia, 1915-1955
The dissertation examines the dynamics of rural economic struggle within the reserves and on white commercial farms. The supply of farm labour during the period 1915-1955 can be seen as an equation with a number of variables. Black pastoral communities in southern Namibia sought to retain control over their land and their labour. In contrast, the administration sought the division of land amongst a new wave of white immigrants and the recruitment of local black pastoralists as farm labourers. The 'state apparatus' available to enforce legislation in the early years of South African rule was initially weak and local labour control depended largely on the relationship between individual farmers and their workforce. The mobility of stock was essential to black pastoralists and denser white settlement increased the constraining influence of cartographical reserve borders. The State described these as 'labour reserves' and effectively prevented the emergence of black farmers who might rival their white neighbours. Yet case studies of the Bondelswarts and Berseba reserves show how economic differentiation influenced the shape of political resistance. The pattern of rapid white settlement in southern Namibia was
Silvester, Jeremy Gale
Rural economics
Black pastoralists, white farmers : the dynamics of land dispossession and labour recruitment in southern Namibia, 1915-1955. The dissertation examines the dynamics of rural economic struggle within the reserves and on white commercial farms. The supply of farm labour during the period 1915-1955 can be seen as an equation with a number of variables. Black pastoral communities in southern Namibia sought to retain control over their land and their labour. In contrast, the administration sought the division of land amongst a new wave of white immigrants and the recruitment of local black pastoralists as farm labourers. The 'state apparatus' available to enforce legislation in the early years of South African rule was initially weak and local labour control depended largely on the relationship between individual farmers and their workforce. The mobility of stock was essential to black pastoralists and denser white settlement increased the constraining influence of cartographical reserve borders. The State described these as 'labour reserves' and effectively prevented the emergence of black farmers who might rival their white neighbours. Yet case studies of the Bondelswarts and Berseba reserves show how economic differentiation influenced the shape of political resistance. The pattern of rapid white settlement in southern Namibia was
black pastoralists white farmer dynamic land labour recruitment southern namibia examines dynamic rural economic struggle within reserve white commercial farm supply farm labour period see equation number_variable black pastoral community southern namibia seek retain control_land labour contrast administration seek division land amongst new wave white immigrant recruitment local black pastoralists farm labourer state_apparatus available enforce legislation south_african rule initially weak local_labour control depend largely relationship individual farmer workforce mobility stock essential black pastoralists white settlement_increase constrain influence reserve border state describe labour reserve effectively prevent emergence black farmer might rival white neighbour yet case_study reserve show economic differentiation influence_shape political resistance pattern rapid white settlement southern namibia