Economic and military change in nineteenth century Buganda
This thesis examines economic and military change in pre-colonial Buganda, with particular reference to the nineteenth century. It explores the material basis of Ganda power, including the domestic economy, the growth of commerce, the development of the canoe fleet, and the organisation of the army. It also considers how the state used its resources in terms of public labour, tribute and slavery to generate wealth and strengthen its position externally. The domestic economy was both more complex and more fragile than has previously been assumed. A wide variety of crops were cultivated by the late nineteenth century, and intensive agriculture was practised alongside the keeping of livestock. Food shortages and cattle disease, however, combined in the late nineteenth century to undermine the Ganda economy at a time of political upheaval and military weakness. In addition to domestic production, the Ganda derived considerable wealth from trade, which underwent dramatic changes in the nineteenth century. Long-distance commerce developed along regional trade routes and was extremely lucrative. The increasing demand for goods such as slaves and ivory from coastal traders was balanced by the demand in Buganda for
Reid, Richard James
History
Economic and military change in nineteenth century Buganda. This thesis examines economic and military change in pre-colonial Buganda, with particular reference to the nineteenth century. It explores the material basis of Ganda power, including the domestic economy, the growth of commerce, the development of the canoe fleet, and the organisation of the army. It also considers how the state used its resources in terms of public labour, tribute and slavery to generate wealth and strengthen its position externally. The domestic economy was both more complex and more fragile than has previously been assumed. A wide variety of crops were cultivated by the late nineteenth century, and intensive agriculture was practised alongside the keeping of livestock. Food shortages and cattle disease, however, combined in the late nineteenth century to undermine the Ganda economy at a time of political upheaval and military weakness. In addition to domestic production, the Ganda derived considerable wealth from trade, which underwent dramatic changes in the nineteenth century. Long-distance commerce developed along regional trade routes and was extremely lucrative. The increasing demand for goods such as slaves and ivory from coastal traders was balanced by the demand in Buganda for
economic military change buganda examines economic military change pre_colonial buganda particular_reference explore material basis power include domestic economy growth commerce development fleet organisation army also considers state use resource term public labour tribute slavery generate wealth strengthen position externally domestic economy complex fragile previously_assume wide_variety crop cultivate late intensive agriculture practise alongside keep livestock food shortage cattle disease however combine late undermine economy time political_upheaval military weakness addition domestic production derive considerable wealth trade underwent_dramatic change long_distance commerce develop_along regional trade route extremely increase_demand good slave ivory coastal trader balance demand buganda