Show the Illegitimacy of the so called 'Legitimate trade'.

Disclaimer: This image is AI-generated for illustrative purposes and does not depict real people or events directly.

Legitimate Trade in 19th Century Africa.

After the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the 19th century, a new form of commerce emerged between Europeans and Africans known as 'legitimate trade'. 

Legitimate trade was a kind of exchange that replaced slave trade and instead of selling human beings, people bought and sold object-commodities such as minerals like gold, silver and diamond, cash crops like cotton, cocoa, rubber and sisal and animal products like skins and ivory. 

This trade was called 'legitimate', meaning legit or legal trade, replacing 'illegal trade',  The 'slave trade'.

Items of the trade.

African traders exported products like: Palm oil, Ivory, Peanuts, Cocoa, Gold.

In return, European traders supplied:

Textiles, Alcoholic beverages, Guns and Mirrors.

Although it was termed "legitimate," this trade was exploitative and had long-term negative effects on African economies and societies.

The illegitimacy of the So-Called Legitimate Trade/ Negative effects of legitimate trade.

1. Unequal Exchange of Commodities.

African goods, especially valuable ones like gold and ivory, were exchanged for cheap European items such as mirrors or axes. The value of goods was not balanced, and Africans received much less in return for their exports.

2. European Price fixing.

When money began to be used as a medium of exchange, prices were fixed by Europeans. Africans had little or no power to negotiate prices, which made the trade unfair and one-sided.

3. Destruction of African Local Industries.

The massive importation of European manufactured goods into African markets led to the collapse of local industries. There were no protection laws. African-made products could not compete with goods from European industries, and traditional craftsmen and industries were automatically driven out of the market.

4. Economic Dependency.

This trade made Africans producers of crops they did not consume and consumers of products they didn't produce. 

Africa shifted from a self-sustaining economy to a dependent economy. Instead of producing goods for local use, Africans focused on growing cash crops for export. At the same time, they became heavily reliant on imported European goods for everyday needs.

Europeans now decided what Africa should produce or consume.

5. Revival of Slave Raids.

The legitimate trade indirectly encouraged a return to slavery within Africa. Cash crops like cocoa and palm oil required intensive labor, leading African leaders to capture and enslave people to work on plantations. For example, the Asante Kingdom raided the neighboring communities to capture laborers.

6. Collapse of the Barter System.

The introduction of currency-based trade replaced the traditional barter system, which had been the main medium of exchange in African trade. 

When money became the dominant medium of exchange, the local and communal methods of exchange lost value and eventually disappeared.

7. Environmental Degradation.

Some mining sites were near rivers and streams. Waste from mining (including dirt, rock, and human waste) was often dumped into water sources.

This led to polluted drinking water and destruction of aquatic life. Also when miners finished working, they left open pits and dangerous holes.

These areas became hazardous to people and animals.

Such land could no longer be used for farming or grazing.

8. Cultural Disruption.

The trade introduced foreign goods, values, and lifestyles that weakened traditional African cultures. Items like alcohol and foreign clothes changed social customs, values, and identities, especially among the youth and elite.

9. Foreign Companies Became Rulers.

European trading companies, like the British Royal Niger Company or the German East Africa Company, did not only trade, they also ruled territories on behalf of their home governments. 

They collected taxes, made laws, and used private armies to control people. These companies acted like governments, exploiting African resources while ignoring the rights and welfare of the local people. 

This marked the beginning of corporate colonialism, which later transitioned into direct government control during full colonial rule.

Conclusion,

Though the term “legitimate trade,” suggested a more humane and lawful form of trade, it continued many of its exploitative patterns. 

African economies were reorganized to serve European interests, local industries were destroyed, and cultural values were eroded. 

In truth, legitimate trade became another tool of imperial control, laying the foundation for colonialism.

Related topics;

Transition to Industrial Capitalism.

https://historyforumtz.blogspot.com/2017/11/legitimate-trade-illegitimate.html?m=1