West African Trade
A Study of Competition, Oligopoly and Monopoly in a Changing Economy

This book, originally published in 1954, examines the key features of the economies of colonial Nigeria and the Gold Coast.

P. T. Bauer (Author)

9781107621916, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 12 September 2013

470 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.7 cm, 0.69 kg

Based on information collected and processed by the Colonial Economic Research Committee between 1949 and 1952, and originally published in 1954, this book examines the key features of the economies of colonial Nigeria and the Gold Coast. Influential economist Peter Bauer assesses the monopolistic tendencies inherent in West African trade structures as well as the repercussions of the colonial government's own, sometimes biased, preferences. This book will be of use to anyone interested in the economic history of West Africa and the economic effects of colonialism.

List of tables
List of charts
Preface
Introduction. Scope and method of the study
Part I. General Aspects of the West African Economies and of the Role of Trade: 1. Underlying forces and influences
2. The multiplicity of traders and the productivity of trade
3. The growth of restrictive tendencies
Part II. The Import Trade: 4. Outline of the composition of imports and of their method of distribution
5. Shares of racial groups and of firms in the import trade
6. Some topics in the recent history of the import trade
Part III. Monopolistic and Competitive Influences in West African External Trade: 7. Criteria, characteristics and bases of monopoly
8. The advantages of capital and size
9. Concentration, marketing arrangements and competition (i)
10. Concentration, marketing arrangements and competition (ii)
11. Official policies and attitudes and economic concentration
12. Effects of the immigration policy on monopoly and competition
13. Further influences of official policy on the trading situation
14. The supply of ancillary services
Part IV. The Export Trade: 15. Outline of the growth, composition and recent history of the export trade
16. The buying organizations and methods of the merchants and of other intermediaries in the export trade
17. The shares of firms in the trade in export produce
18. Aspects of competition in produce buying
19. Wartime arrangements in the West African export trade and their results
Part V. The Statutory Marketing Boards and their Policies: 20. The genesis of the marketing boards
21. The scope and powers of the marketing boards
22. The price policies of the marketing boards (i)
23. The price policies of the marketing boards (ii)
24. The arguments in support of the price policies of the marketing boards
Part VI. The Economics of Marketing Reform: 25. The economics of marketing reform: measures and proposals (i)
26. The economics of marketing reform: measures and proposals (ii)
Part VII. Internal Trade: 27. Principal features of internal trade
Appendix 1. Statistics of statutory marketing of West African exports
Appendix 2. The terms of trade of producers of export crops
Appendix 3. The responsiveness of supply to the prices received by producers
Appendix 4. The effects of statutory marketing on the processors of export products
Appendix 5. A note on conditional sales
Appendix 6. The stockfish agreement
Index.

Subject Areas: International economics [KCL]