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Special Issue Article
Confronting colonial legacies—lessons from human development in Ghana and Kenya, 1880–2000
Article first published online: 27 NOV 2008
DOI: 10.1002/jid.1514
Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Issue
1099-1328/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=fd413a4d60b54785477481c87152296ee1c95e79 "Journal of International Development")
Journal of International Development
Special Issue: Historical Roots of Poverty (Mosley and Bowden)
Volume 20, Issue 8, pages 1107–1121, November 2008
Additional Information
How to Cite
Moradi, A. (2008), Confronting colonial legacies—lessons from human development in Ghana and Kenya, 1880–2000. J. Int. Dev., 20: 1107–1121. doi: 10.1002/jid.1514
Publication History
- Issue published online: 27 NOV 2008
- Article first published online: 27 NOV 2008
Funded by
- British Academy Small Research Grant
- African Research Program at Harvard University
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- nutrition;
- health;
- anthropometrics;
- institutions;
- colonial;
- living standards;
- JEL classification;
- I30;
- I32;
- N37;
- O10
Abstract
A growing body of scholarly research locates the roots of Africa's poverty in its colonial past. However, studies avoid tracing Africa's development over the full course of history. In this paper, I quantify the changes in well-being of the African population in Ghana and Kenya, at the regional level, during the years 1880-2000. By using body stature as a measure of nutritional status I overcome the scarcity and unreliability of historical data. The two countries had a much more diverse development under colonial times than commonly assumed, with phases of substantial progress (which was also unevenly distributed between the regions). Based on these new findings I confront the existing colonial legacy literature and point to possible lessons that can be drawn from human development over the last 120 years. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.