Farmers, Randlords and the South African state

Confrontation in the Witwatersrand Beef Markets, c . 1920–1923

Datos Bibliográficos

ID8977425
AutoresRobert Morrell (0000-0002-6096-486X, University of KwaZulu-Natal, autor de correspondencia)
Año1986
Volumen27
Número3
Páginas513-532
Fecha de publicación1986-11-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaThe Journal of African History (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0021-8537 • E-ISSN: 1469-5138
EditorialCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0021853700023306
OpenAlexW2145381705
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas15

The pervasive importance of gold mining in modern South Africa has become embedded in South African historiography. Despite this, little research has been done to ascertain its impact on the other major sector of the economy, agriculture. The gold mines had a profound effect upon one particular branch of agriculture – beef farming. The mines purchased large amounts of beef and were able to use their buying power to confront beef farmers in the marketplace. In the recession following the First World War, the mines were caught in a profitability crisis that was to lead to the Rand Revolt in 1922. One of the ways in which mining attempted to ease its position was by cutting back on the cost of the meat it supplied to its African labour force. This initially involved co-operation with a powerful cold-storage company, big ranchers and a number of smaller farmers to form a Meat Producers Exchange. This fragile alliance fell apart when farmers, themselves on the verge of bankruptcy, attempted to take control of the Exchange and raise beef prices. The farmers failed and in 1923 the exchange collapsed. The victory of the mining and cold-storage companies rested on a number of factors. Farmers were unable to organize effectively because of the defection of ranchers to the mines. Changing economic conditions in 1922 and 1923 permitted the mines to terminate their co-operation with beef farmers. Finally the mines were able to call upon the state for support. The state ensured the demise of the Exchange and the defeat of the beef farmers. In the process it showed itself capable of intervening decisively to protect the interests of certain sections of capital

Agricultural economics · Agriculture · Bankruptcy · Business · Demise · Economics · Economy · Geography · Political science · Politics · Position (finance · Profitability index · Recession · State (computer science · Victory · African history and culture studies · Finance · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · Law · South African History and Culture