This dataset supports research on the uneven diffusion of cotton as a cash crop in colonial Africa, focusing on the period from approximately 1900 to 1960. It provides a comparative analysis between British Uganda and the interior of French West Africa, investigating the role of agricultural seasonality in shaping adoption, colonial policy, and post-colonial outcomes.
Use Cases
- Analyze the relationship between seasonal labor bottlenecks and cotton output in French West Africa versus British Uganda.
- Investigate how short rainy seasons and farming cycles influenced colonial coercion and investment strategies.
- Examine the impact of post-1960 labor productivity breakthroughs on cotton production in Francophone West Africa.
- Compare African income-earning strategies in response to seasonal constraints across the two colonial regions.
Strengths
- Data is structured to support a direct historical comparison between two major colonial regions in Africa.
- Explicitly covers a long temporal range of approximately 60 years, from circa 1900 to 1960.
- The dataset is directly linked to a specific, peer-reviewed academic article, providing clear research context.
Limitations
- The specific data structure, column names, and sample size are not provided, limiting assessment of analytical granularity.
- As a historical replication package, the data is static and does not receive updates.
- Geographic coverage is limited to two specific colonial case studies, which may not be generalizable to all of Africa.
Provenance
- Source
- Replication package for the article 'The Failure of Cotton Imperialism in Africa: Seasonal Constraints and Contrasting Outcomes in French West Africa and British Uganda'.
- Collection Method
- null
- Time Range
- circa 1900–1960
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- British Uganda and the interior of French West Africa