Changes in peasant food production and food supply in relation to the historical development of commodity production in pre‐colonial and colonial Tanganyika∗

I am indebted to the following people who took the time to discuss the original draft of this paper with me, namely: H. Bantje, H. Bernstein, A. Coulson, M. Cowen, M. Honey, M. Mbilinyi, G. T. Mishambi, K. Mustafa, P. Raikes, I. Shivji, and N. Westcott.

Abstract

This paper explores the dynamic interaction between peasant food production and commodity production under conditions of the increasing penetration of capital and consequent erosion of pre‐capitalist modes of production in pre‐colonial and colonial Tanganyika (Tanzania). It is argued that while the law of value inherent in commodity production definitely served to effect more specialisation of labour in peasant production, nevertheless,it was bounded by the limits of labour productivity attainable in peasant household production units. Shortfalls in peasant food production appeared as the most glaring consequence of the labour productivity constraint. The role of the colonial state was critical, not merely in the sense of acting to increase peasant commodity production. The colonial state also intervened strategically to dispense famine relief in times of serious food shortfalls, which guaranteeing peasant subsistence, altered its character from that of unreliability to that of regularity. Since peasant subsistence formed the necessary base for peasant commodity production, state famine relief ensured the persistence of peasant commodity production but not its proliferation, the latter again being indicative of the labour productivity constraint.

Notes

I am indebted to the following people who took the time to discuss the original draft of this paper with me, namely: H. Bantje, H. Bernstein, A. Coulson, M. Cowen, M. Honey, M. Mbilinyi, G. T. Mishambi, K. Mustafa, P. Raikes, I. Shivji, and N. Westcott.

University of Dar es Salaam.