European colonisers who set up plantations and mines in Africa in the late nineteenth century found it extrem…

Question

European colonisers who set up plantations and mines in Africa in the late nineteenth century found it extremely difficult to recruit local labour. What were the reasons behind this labour shortage, and what does it reveal about pre-colonial African society?

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer **Reasons for labour shortage:** In pre-colonial Africa, land was abundant and the population was small. Africans possessed their own land and livestock and could sustain their livelihoods without working for wages. Moreover, there were very few consumer goods that wages could buy, so there was little incentive to seek wage employment. **What it reveals about pre-colonial African society:** It shows that pre-colonial African society was largely self-sufficient, with people supporting themselves through farming and herding. They were economically independent and had no need to depend on wages for survival. *Source: Chapter 3, Section 2.4 — Rinderpest, or the Cattle Plague* --- ## Explanation Examiners expect **two distinct parts**: (1) the reasons for labour shortage and (2) what it reveals about pre-colonial Africa. Both must be addressed. The key facts are: abundant land, small population, self-sufficient livelihoods through land and livestock, and no consumer goods t…

Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question