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

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Legitimate trade was a commercial relation between Europeans and Africans soon after the abolition of slave trade during the 19th century. This trade was called legitimate i.e 'legit/legal' which means it replaced illegal 'Illegitimate' trade which was SLAVE TRADE. The items involved were non human; that is raw materials from West Africa like peanut, Cocoa Ivory and Palm Oil which were exchanged with manufactured goods from Europe like Guns, clothes, drinks and mirror to mention few.

The so called legitimate/legal trade on the other hand proved to be illegal through the following considerations;

1. The trade based on unequal exchange. The value of the comodities exchanged was unfair making the trade illegitimate. For example Gold was exchanged with axe or mirror.

2. The Europeans fixed the price for the items involved in the trade when money was used as a medium of exchange. For the trade to be legal there must be mutual negotiation on the price of commodities but during this trade that wasn't the case. The Europeans fixed the price for both sides making the trade monopoly unilateral.

3. This trade killed the African local industries. During this trade there was no protective laws for the African industries. The overflow of the manufactured goods to African continent knocked the African industrial made comodities out of the market hence the industries ran bankruptcy and died.

4. The trade led to the decline of the African self sustained economy. The introduction of money and cash crops transformed the african economy to dependency economy because african economy started to depend on export of raw materials to Europe and importation of manufactured goods for consumption.

5. This trade accellerated slave trade in african societies because there arose a need for slaves to work in cash crops farms since cash crops were basic items in the trade. Therefore the african leaders started wars for conquest of weaker communities to get slaves hence chaos and bloodshed in african societies. The kingdom of Asante For Instance invaded other tribes for the need of slaves.

6. This trade killed the African system of exchange that is BARTER trade which based on exchange of goods for goods. The introduction ofmoney sunk the exchange of goods for goods in Africa.