BAYERO
UNIVERSITY, KANO – NIGERIA
FACULTY OF
SOCIAL AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF
POLITICAL SCIENCE
POLITICAL
ECONOMY OF AFRICA
(POL 8406)
SUB
– THEME:
CAPITALIST
DEVELOPMENT AND PEASANT QUESTION IN THE PERIPHERY: AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE
2017/2018 ACADEMIC YEAR
INSTRUCTOR:
M. M. YUSUF
INTRODUCTION
This is a teaching outline of Political Economy of Africa in a
Postgraduate Programme (Masters Degree) of the Department of Political Science,
Bayero University,Kano – Nigeria.
The course is about the position of
peasantry in the process of capitalist development in the periphery – African
context. Perhaps the term most likely to capture this process of development is
‘agrarian transition’. We mean by ‘agrarian transition’ the process through
which a pre-dominantly peasant agriculture is transformed into one that is
characterized by differentiation of the peasantry partly to rural proletariat
and bourgeoisie.
The role of peasantry or of
agriculture tothe process of capitalist
development is frequently ignored or misunderstood, or treated as if it had
little to do with wider interest of capital. This is far from the truth.
In Marxist tradition of discourse
about development of capitalism, just as is the case on wage labour, so also on
peasantry and agriculture. Therefore, our guiding theoretical framework is the
Marxist discussion of ‘agrarian transition’. Whereas there is also non-Marxist
paradigms on this subject, we think that the Marxist tradition has been
particularly dominant and important in helping to explain critical questions on
capital, state and peasantry.
Indeed, a broadly Marxist
framework, provides wider possibilities of addressing the complex dynamics of the experience of the peasantry in the
periphery; Which is that the peasantry must be understood in its relations with
capital and the state, in varying concrete conditions, but which gives real
dangers in seeking to explore relationship of theoretical issues with empirical
situations.
There is no doubt a student of
‘agrarian transition’ may go through this risk, especially of being simplistic and superficial in
treating some processes as the same, but in historical terms, not strictly so.
However, a wider conceptual
clarification of our key word (i.e. peasantry), in which empirical examples and
illustrations play a large part and our method which is “space” will compensate
for some of these risks.
COURSE
SYLLABUS
1.
Introduction
Introducing the course and what it is about, course
requirements.
In
place of first week assignment:
Working group discussion with a view to make
critical observations, showing limitations, gaps and assessment of the
recommended literature.
2.
Theory
and Method: A Path to Critical Knowledge
§ Reading:
i.
Trevor Barnes, “Between Deduction and
Dialectics: David Harvey on Knowledge” in Noel C. and Derek G. (eds) David
Harvey: A critical reader
ii.
David Harvey, “Space as a keyword”. In
Noel C. and Derek G. (eds) Op cit.
iii.
T. S. Kuhn, “Logic of Discovery or
Psychology of Research”? Preface of a book Imre L. and Alan M. (eds) Criticism
and the Growth of Knowledge.
iv.
K. R. Popper, “Normal Science and its
dangers”. In Imre L. and Alan M. (eds) op cit
v.
Alford, R. R. and Friedland R. Powers of
Theory: capitalism, the state and democracy.
vi.
Erik O.W. Class, crisis and the state.
Chapter 1
3.
Theory
and Method: Marx’s Political Economy
§ Reading:
i.
Michael A. L. Bayond Capital: Marx
political economy of the working class. Chapters 2, 8, and other selections.
ii.
Norman Geras, “Marx and the critique of
political economy”. Robin Blackburn (ed.) Ideology in Social Sciences: Reading in
Critical Social Theory
iii.
E. J. Hobsbawn, “Karl Marx’s
Contribution to Historiography in Robin Blackburn. Op. cit.
iv.
G. V. Plekhanov, fundamental problems of
Marxism chapter v and xii
v.
Engels F., “Political Economy: subject
matter and method”. In his Anti-Duhringpgs 181 – 194
vi.
Paul M. Sweezy, TheTheory of Capitalist
Development. Chapter 1
vii.
Karl Marx, “Excerpts from capital: A
critique of political economy”. In Lowes S. Feuer, Marx and Engels – basic
writing on politics and philosophy
4.
Capitalist
Development in the Periphery: The Debate from Classical Perspective
§ Reading:
i.
Karl Marx and Engels, “Manifesto of the
Communist Party” selected works, vol. 1
ii.
Karl Marx, “British Rule in India”.
Selected works vol. 1
iii.
Karl Marx, “The future results of
British Rule in India”. Selected works
iv.
Anthony Brewer, Marxist Theories of
Imperialism: A Survey Chapter 2
v.
Dobb M. Studies in the Development of
Capitalism
vi.
Rodney Hilton, The transition from
Feudalism to capitalism
vii.
Norma Parchono, “The debate on the
transition from feudalism to capitalism: its relevance from the study of
African history. Conference paper
5.
Capitalism
and Development/Underdevelopment in the Periphery: Dependency Theory
§ Reading:
i.
A. G. Frank, “The Development of
Underdevelopment”. In R. I. Rhodes, Imperialism and underdevelopment
ii.
Samir Amin, “Accumulation and
Development: A Theoretical Framework’’ ROAPE No.1
iii.
Baran Paul, the Political Economy of
Growth
iv.
Geofrey Kay, Development and
Underdevelopment: A Marxist Analysis chapter 5
v.
Emmanuel Anghiri, Unequal Exchange: A
study of the imperialism of trade
vi.
Immanuel Wallenstein, The Capitalist
World Economy
vii.
Baratt Brown, Essays on Imperialism.
Chapter 1
viii.
Anthony Brewer op. cit.
ix.
Brenner R., The Origins of Capitalist Development:
A Critique of Neo-Smithan Marxism NLR No. 104
x.
Samir Amin, “Underdevelopment in Black
Africa – Origin and Contemporary Forms”. JMAS Vol. 10 No. 4
xi.
Lionel Cliffe, “Rural Political Economy
of Africa”. In Gutkind and Wallenstein, the political Economy of Contemporary
Africa.
xii.
Bill Warren, Imperialism: Pioneer of
Capitalism
6.
Capitalist
Development/Underdevelopment in the periphery: The Debate on Articulation of
Modes of Production
§ Reading:
i.
Hindess and Hirnt, Pre-capitalist mode
of production
ii.
Harold Wolpe, The articulation of modes
of production: Essay from Economy and Society” pgs 1 – 43
iii.
Karl Marx, Primitive Accumulation of
Capital
iv.
Samir Amin, unequal development: An
essay on the social formation of peripheral capitalism pgs 13 – 58
v.
Donald C. and Steward C. C. (eds). Modes
of productive in Africa: the Pre-colonial Era pgs 11-34
vi.
John Harris, “The modes of production
controversy: Themes and problems of the debate’’
vii.
Aiden Forster Carter, The modes of
production controversy
viii.
Peter G. “The Articulation of Different
Modes of Production: Old and New Inequalities in Maka Villages (South East)
Cameron
ix.
Catherine C. V. “The Political Economy
of the African Peasantry and Modes of Production”, in Gutxind and Wallenstein
7.
Capitalism
and Peasantry: Who is a Peasant?
§ Reading:
i.
Shanin T., Peasant Societies. – The
Introduction
ii.
Shannin T., “Peasantry as a political
factor”. In his as above
iii.
Karl Marx, “Peasantry as a class”. In
Shanin op. cit. as excerpt from “The class struggle in France and the
Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonapate’’
iv.
Beckman B. “Editorial” of ROAPE No. 10
v.
Daniel Thorner, “Peasant economy as a
category in economic history”. In Shanin op. cit
8.
Capitalism
and Transformation of the Peasantry: Theoretical Perspectives
§ Reading:
i.
Basile K. “Chayonov and the Theory of
Peasantry as a Specific type of Economy”. In Shanin T. op. cit.
ii.
V. I. Lenin, Development of Capitalism
in Russia Collected Works Vol. 3
iii.
V. I. Lenin, “Capitalism and Agriculture
in the United States of America”. Collected works Vol. 22
iv.
Banaji J., “Summary of Selected Parts of
Kautsky’s the Agrarian Question”. In Harold Wolpe (ed.) op. cit.
9.
Capitalism
and Peasantry in the Periphery: Further Theoretical Perspectives
§ Reading:
i.
Henry Bernstein, “Notes on capital and
peasantry” in ROAPE No. 10
ii.
Henry Bernstein, “African Peasantries: a
theoretical framework”. Journal of peasant studies vol. 6 No. 4
iii.
Henry Bernstein, “Agrarian classes in
capitalist development”, in Leslie S. (eds) Capitalism and Development
10.
Transition from Peasant Production to
Capitalist Development
§ Reading:
i.
Barbara Brady, “The destruction of
natural economy’’. In Harold Wolpe o.p.c.t
ii.
Banaji J,‘’Modes of production in a
materialist conception of history. Capital and class vol.3
iii.
Henry Bernstein, ROAPE No.10
iv.
GoranHyden, Beyond Ujamaa in Tanzania;
underdevelopment and uncaptured peasantry.
v.
Robin Cehen, “From peasants to workers
in Africa’’. In Gutkind and Wallenstein
vi.
Gavin Williams, taking the part of
peasant; rural Development in Nigeria and Tanzania. In Gutkind and
Wallenstein
11.
Rural Class Formation and Class Conflict
§ Reading:
i.
Jeffery M. P. Agrarian Revolution:
Social Movements and Export Agriculture in the Underdeveloped World. Chapter 1
and 4
ii.
Y. M. Ivanov, Agrarian Reforms and Hired
Labour in Africa
iii.
Philip R. “Rural Differentiation and
Class Formation in Tanzania”
iv.
L. Cliffe, “Rural class formation in
East Africa”. Journal of Peasant studies vol. 40 No. 2
v.
R. Howard, “Formation and Stratification
of the Peasantry in Colonial Ghana”. Journal of Peasant Studies vol.8 No.1
vi.
Donald B. Cruise O. Brien, “Cooperatives
and Bureaucrats: Class formation in a Senegalese Peasant Society”. in journal
of the international African Institute vol. XLI No. 4
vii.
Robin Cohen, “From Peasants to workers
in Africa”. In Gutkind and Wallenstein op. cit.
12 Theory and Practice: African Experiences
on Peasant Question and Capitalist Development
i.Nigeria
– Northern Nigeria
§ Reading:
i.
Sule Bello, State and Economy in Kano
1894-1960: A study of colonial domination.
ii.
Mansur I. Muktar, British Colonial Labour Policies and the
Changing Roles of Labour In Kano Emirate 1903-1960
iii.
Mansur I. Mukhtar, The impact of British
colonial domination on Kano 1903-1950: A study of colonial change
iv.
Adamu Mohammed Fiko, the Kano civil war
and British over rule 1882-1940
v.
A.G Hopxins,, An Economic History of West Africa
vi.
Dupe Olatunbosun, Nigeria’s Neglected
Rural Majority
vii.
E.A Olofin and S. Patricks (eds.) Land
Administration and Development in Northern Nigeria. Case Studies
viii.
P.J Shea, Approaching the study of
production in Rural kano. Paper presented in at the international conference on
the history of Kano
ix.
Micheal Watts (ed), State, Oil and
Agriculture in Nigeria. Especially chapters 5, 9 and 10
x.
AkeC.A Political Economy of Africa
xi.
Gavin Williams, State and Society in
Nigeria
xii.
Gavin Williams, “Inequalities in rural
Nigeria”. Occasional paper no 16 University of Anglia
xiii.
Gavin Williams, “Class relations and inequalities
in rural Nigeria” mimeo
xiv.
Gavin Williams “why is there no agrarian
capitalism in Nigeria-mimeo
xv.
R. W Shenton and L. Lennhan “capital and
class: peasant differentiation in northern Nigerian, journal of peasant studies
xvi.
Paul Clough “indebtedness among the
rural Hausa’’: A case study
xvii.
L. Lennihas, “Problems of Structure and
Agency in Agrarian History’’: The question of agricultural wage labour in
Northern Nigeria”.
xviii.
Beckman B., “Peasants versus state and
capital”.
xix.
Tina Wallace, “The Kano river project,
Nigeria: the impact of an irrigation scheme on productivity and welfare” in
Heyer and others, Rural Development in Tropical Africa
ii.
South Africa: Cape Province
§ Reading:
i.
Colin Bundy, The Rise and Fall of the
South African Peasantry
ii.
Colin Bundy, “The Emergence and Decline
of South African Peasantry” African Affairs vol. 71 No. 285
iii.
Colin Bundy, “The Transkei Peasantry,
1890-1914: passing through a period of stress. In Robin Palmer and Neil Parsons
(eds.). The Roots of Rural Poverty in
central and Southern Africa
iv.
M. L. Norms, “The development of
capitalism in South Africa Agriculture”. In Harold Wolpe (eds) op. cit.
13.
Capital and the Response of Peasantry
§ Reading:
i.
Robert H. Bates, “The issue basis of
Rural Politics in Africa”. In Comparative Politics, April, 1978
ii.
Erik, R. Wolf, “On Peasant Rebellion”.
In Shanin T. op. cit
iii.
Gavin Williams, in Gutkind and
Wallenstein op. cit
iv.
Karl Marx, In Shanin as op. cit.
v.
Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth
vi.
Amilcar Cabral, Revolution in Guinea
vii.
HamzaAlavi, “Peasants and Revolution”.
In K. Gough and H. P. Sharma (eds). Imperialism and Revolution in South Asia
viii.
Beckman Bjorn, “Peasants and Democratic
Struggle in Nigeria”. ROAPE No.
ix.
R. A. Dunmoye, “The Peasant Question and
the Limitations of Agrarian Reformsm”. Comments on Beckman’s paper on “Peasants
Question and Democratic Struggles in Nigeria’’. ABU, Zaria
x.
Sabo Bako, The PRP and Peasants Struggle
in the Second Republic ABU, Zaria
xi.
Gary Wasseman, “Continuity and
Counter-Insurgency: The Role of Land Reform in Decolonising Kenya, 1962-70”. In
Journal of African Studies Vol. vii No. 1
xii.
Frank Fured, “The Social Composition of
the Mau Mau Movement in the White Highlands”. Journal of Peasants Studies Vol.
1
xiii.
Christopher Farrell, “Mau Mau: A Revolt
or a Revolution”? In Kenya Historical Review vol.5 No.2
xiv.
Dick Kauffman, “MauMau: Peasant War or
Revolution?” Kenya Special Review vol. 1
xv.
John Newsinger, Revolt and Repression:
In Kenya: ‘’The Mau-Mau Rebellion’’. In Science and Society Vol. 75 No.2
xvi.
K.W.J. Post “The Alliance of Peasants
and Workers: Some Problems Concerning the Articulation of Classes (Algeria and
China)”. In R. Cohen et al. Peasant
and Proletarians
14.
The New Capitalist Logic for the Peasantry in the Periphery
§ Reading:
i.
John Sender and Sheila Smith, “What’s
Right with the Berg Report and What’s Left of its Criticisms”. In Peter
Lawrence (eds). World Recession and the Food Crisis in Africa
ii.
Gavin Williams, “The World Bank and the
Peasant Problem”. In Judith Heyer op. cit.
iii.
Andrew Sheperd, “Agrarian Change in
Northern Ghana: Public Investment, Capitalist Farming and Famine”. In Judith
Heyer op. cit.
iv.
Beckman Bjorn, “The World Bank and the
Nigerian Peasantry: An Outline”. A paper presented to a seminar by the AKUT
Group, Stockholm
v.
E. Feder, “The New World Bank Programme
for the Self-Liquidation of theThirdworld Peasantry”. In Journal of
Peasant Studies vol. II No. 1
vi.
Siegfried P. “A New International
Economic Order for the Third World’’. In Sociologic Ruralism Vol. XX
vii.
Erich Jacoby, “World Bank policy and the
Peasants in the Third World”. In Development and Change. Vol. 10
viii.
Steven Jacob, “integrated rural
development and the marginalization of the peasantry in Nigeria”. In Africa
development vol.6 no.4
ix.
NtiemKungswai, “The agrarian crisis in
Nigeria today. In department of political science, ABU, Zaria, rural
underdevelopment in Nigeria 1900-1980.
x.
Yahaya A. abdullahi, “The new technology
and agricultural development in nigeria: a socio-economic assessment of te
green revolution strategy”. In rural underdevelopment in Nigeria 1900-1980.
15. Theoretical conclusion: the powers of theory
in the agrarian question. Closing up!
§ Joint Reading:
ii.
V.I. Lenin, ‘’The Agrarian Question and
the critics of Marx”.
iii.
Karl Marx, ‘’A Contribution to the
Critique of Political Economy”, selected
works vol.1
iv.
Engels E, “Karl Marx: A Contribution to
the Critique of Political Economy” selected works vol.1
v.
Sara S. Berry, Cocoa, Custom and
Socio-Economic Change in Western Nigeria.
vi.
C.F. Beer, The Politics of Peasant
Groups in Western Nigeria.
vii.
R.O Ekundare, An Economic History of
Nigeria 1860-1960.
viii.
Polly Hill, Population, Property and
Poverty.
ix.
MichealGowen, “Commodity Production in
Kenya’s Central Province”, in Judith Hey’s (eds) op.ct.
x.
Ernest Feder, “Agribusiness and the
Elimination of Latin America’s Rural Proletariat.” In RadhaSinha (ed.). The
world food problem.
xi.
Geoff Lamb, “The New-Colonial
Integration of Kenyan Peasants”. In development and change No. 8.
xii.
Richard E. Stryker, “The World Bank and
Agricultural Development: Food, production and rural poverty”. In world
development vol.9
xiii.
Ruth First, Black Gold: The Mozambican Miner,
Proletarian and Peasant.
xiv.
Giovanni Arrighi, “Labor Supplies in
Historical Perspective: A Study of the Proletarianisation of the African Peasantry
in Rhodesia”. In G. Arrighi and J. Saul (eds). Essays on the Political Economy
of Africa.
xv.
Paul A. Baran, “On the Political Economy
of Backwardness in Robert Rhodes op. ct.
xvi.
S.W Mintz “The Rural Proletarian and the
Problem of Rural Proletarian Consciousness”. In R. Cohen et al.,Peasants and Proletarians.
xvii.
Elinor S. “Colonial Peasantisation and
Contemporary underdevelopment: A view from a Kivu village”. In Guy G (ed).
Zaire: The Political Economy of Underdevelopment.
xviii.
Rennie J.K. “White Farmers, Black
Tenants and Landlord legislation: Southern Rhodesia 1890-1930”. In Journal of
Southern African Studies vol.5 No. 1
xix.
Phimister I.R, “Peasant Production and
Underdevelopment in Southern Rhodesia 1890-1914”. African Affairs Vol. 75 No.
291.
xx.
Keega T. “The restructuring of Agrarian
class relations in a Colonial Economy: The Orange river Colony, 1902-1910.
Journal of Southern African Studies Vol. 5 No. 2.
xxi.
Trapido S. “Landlord and a Tenant in a
Colonial Economy: The Transvaal 1880-1910”. Journal of Peasant studies Vol. 5
No.1
xxii.
Lipton M.. “White farming: A case study
of change in south Africa”. Journal of common wealth and comparative studies
vol. 12.
xxiii.
Murray M. “Agrarian Social structure and
rural Class Relations: Class Struggle in the Orange Free State and Transvaal,
1890-1920”. In rural Africana vol. 4.5
xxiv.
Adrian G. and Peter r. “Plantation in
the Political economy of Colonial Sugar Production: Notal and Queensland,
1860-1914”. Journal of Southern African Studies vol. 6 No. 2
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS
ü The
course is designed to expose students to a research work rooted in theory
through which to understand the social reality of a peasant economy in modern
capitalist system in Africa.
ü The
references are deliberately selected to give students this orientation.
However, students are expected to show capacity of independent work by reaching
out to many other sources on the subject matter.
ü Accordingly
teaching of the course is by seminar.
ü Papers
are going to be presented and books to be reviewed.
ü If
you are not to do presentation, the weekly reading of the recommended texts is
important for you
ü Students
are expected to read all assigned texts attend all classes and participate
actively in discussions.
ü Texts
to be reviewed in each week are going to be indicated.
ü Note
that if you are not going to attend any class, tell me before the time. Yet
when you return, you must do the work of the week.
ü In
order to purify learning and research, I have to take strict disciplinary
action against any student who is found on plagiarism.
ü In
our work, we will be analyzing the thought, argument and evidence of others to
reformulate and develop our ideas. So, you must not copy or paraphrase
someone’s work and present it as your own. Don’t come across an idea of one writer from another writer and
claim you got it from the original source
ü All
texts consulted should be properly acknowledged. These are elements of
integrity of a scholar.
ü Assessment
of students is based on the end of semester examination (60%)and CA (40%). The
CA will be as follows:
a) Attendance/class
work / participation (20%).
b) Course
research paper (10%)
c) Working
Group discussion (5%)
d) Literature
review (5%).
