The University of Hull Economic Growth in a Slave
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THE UNIVERSITY OF HULL ECONOMIC GROWTH IN A SLAVE PLANTATION SOCIETY: THE CASE OF JAMAICA, 1750 -1805 being a Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History in the University of Hull by Ahmed N. Reid July 2007 ABSTRACT This dissertation is an economic impact assessment of Jamaica's plantation economy from 1750 to 1805. In doing so, it measures and examines growth in completely new ways by employing, as indicators, output, land prices, labour flows and prices, national income, and productivity trends. The study maintains that, rather than declining, the economy was growing, with most of that growth taking place during the decade before the Transatlantic Trade in Africans was abolished in 1807. Growth was also facilitated by the policies adopted by planters to reorganize the plantation system. The presence of enslaved labour did not render the system inefficient. In fact, the economic reality was quite the opposite. The conclusion, therefore, is that with sufficient evidence of growth and productivity, abolition was not predicated only on negative cost benefit considerations. Contents Page List ofFigures iv List of Tables V Acknowledgments Vll Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Jamaica's Historical Geography 11 Chapter 2 19 Output Trade Statistics 21 Weights, Measures and Values 27 Sugar Output 29 Rum Output 36 Molasses Output 44 Minor Staples 47 Coffee Output 48 Cotton Output 53 Pimento Output 56 Ginger Output 59 Cocoa Output 62 National Income Estimates, 1748-1805 64 Conclusion 74 Chapter 3 Labour 77 Work Culture ofEnslaved Africans 80 Number ofAfricans Imported 92 Jamaica's re-export trade 102 Retained Slaves and Population Growth 110 Slave Prices and the demand for labour 114 Conclusion 123 Chapter 4 Land 126 Land Distribution 127 Types ofHolding Sold 136 Influence of Gender in Jamaica's land market 141 Land Price 147 Land market and growth 161 ii Acres under Cultivation 163 Conclusion 172 Chapter 5 Productivity 174 Interpretations ofProductivity 174 Models ofProductivity 180 New Approach to Measuring Plantation Productivity 187 Labour Productivity 184 Land Productivity 191 Measuring Total Factor Productivity 192 Relationship among Productivity Values 196 Factors Explaining Productivity Change 197 Conclusion 205 Chapter 6 Conclusion: The Implication for Eric Williams' Thesis 207 Appendices 217 Bibliography 243 11l List of Figures Page 1.1 Topographical Map of Jamaica 12 1.2 Rainfall Distribution of Jamaica 15 2.1 Quantity of Sugar imported into England from Jamaica, 1748-1805 (in cwts) 34 2.2 Quantity of Rum imported into England from Jamaica to England, 1749-1805 42 2.3 Quantity of Coffee exported from Jamaica to England, 1748-1805 52 2.4 Quantity of Cotton exported from Jamaica to England, 1748-1805 56 2.5 Quantity of Pimento exported from Jamaica to England, 1748-1805 59 2.6 Quantity of Ginger exported from Jamaica to England, 1748-1805 62 3.1 Estimates of the number of Africans imported into Jamaica, 1702-1775 (Fuller and TSTD) 95 3.2 The number of Africans re-exported from Jamaica, Selected Years (NOSL) 96 3.3 The number of Africans imported into Jamaica, 1702-1807 98 3.4 The number of Africans re-exported from Jamaica, 1702-1807 105 3.5 The growth of retained slaves in Jamaica, 1702-1807 112 4.1 Average price per acre of land based on size of holdings sold, 1750-1810 147 5.1 Relation between hogsheads per enslaved and enslaved per sugar acres 186 5.2 Relation between hogsheads per enslaved and provision acres 202 IV List of Tables Page 2.1 Comparative Table, NOSL and Customs 3 & 17, Selected Years 25 2.2 Port Distribution of Sugar, Selected Years (in cwts) 29 2.3 Quantity of Sugar exported from Jamaica, Selected Years (in cwts) 31-32 2.4 Port Distribution of Rum, Selected Years (in gallons) 37 2.5 Quantity of Rum exported from Jamaica, Selected Years (in gallons) 40-41 2.6 Port Distribution of Molasses, Selected Years (in gallons) 45 2.7 Quantity of Molasses exported from Jamaica, Selected Years (in gallons) 46 2.8 Port Distribution of Coffee, Selected Years (in pounds) 49 2.9 Quantity of Coffee exported from Jamaica, Selected Years 50-51 2.10 Port Distribution of Cotton, Selected Years (in pounds) 53 2.11 Quantity of Cotton exported from Jamaica, Selected Years (in pounds) 54 2.12 Port Distribution of Pimento, Selected Years (in pounds) 57 2.13 Quantity of Pimento exported from Jamaica, Selected Years (in pounds) 58 2.14 Port Distribution of Ginger, Selected Years in pounds 60 2.15 Quantity of Ginger exported from Jamaica, Selected Years (in pounds) 61 2.16 Port Distribution of Cocoa, Selected Years (in pounds) 63 2.17 Quantity of Cocoa exported from Jamaica, Selected Years (in pounds) 64 2.18 Estimated export values for Sugar and its Derivatives 70 2.19 Estimated real values of exports, local food production, and national income in Jamaica, 1748-1805 71 3.1 Population of Jamaica, 1660-1805 79 3.2 Enslaved arrivals in the British Caribbean and St. Domingo by Quarter Century, 1701- 1807 97 3.3 Regional Distribution of Re-exported Africans from Jamaica, Selected Years 107 3.4 Port Distribution of Re-exported Africans, Selected Years 109 3.5 The number of enslaved Africans retained in Jamaica, 1702-1807 111 3.6 Jamaica's enslaved imports and the change in population, 1703-1807 114 3.7 Slave and Sugar Prices in the Caribbean, 1750-1807 116 3.8 Percentage Distribution of Africans in the Transatlantic Trade in Africans, 1702-1807 120 4.1 Inter-censal change for the numbers of acres sold, 1750-1810 128 4.2 The number of acres sold as a percentage of parish size in Jamaica, 1750-1810 130 4.3 The Annual Distribution of acres sold in each parish, 1750-1810 131 4.4 The Distribution of Sugar Estates in Jamaica, 1739-1804 134 4.5 Frequency Distribution of the types of holdings sold 137 4.6 Types of Holdings sold in each parish, 1750-1810 138-140 4.7a Size of Holdings sold by Gender, 1750-1810 145 4.7b Size of Holdings purchased by Gender, 1750-1810 146 4.8 Mean prices per acre equivalent by parish and size of holdings, 1750-1810 150-152 4.9 Mean prices per acre equivalent by year and size of holdings, 1750-1810 153 4.10 Location of holdings transferred, 1750-1810 156 v 4.11 Relationship between land use and growth in sugar exports 162 4.12 Total acres under cultivation in Jamaica, 1804 165 4.13 Total acres under cultivation in Jamaica, 1754 171 5.1 Productivity on St. Andrew's Sugar Estates, 1754 185 5.2 Rates of growth in Output, Land and Labour, 1748-1805 190 5.3 Land, Labour, Capital and Output amounts and Indices, 1748-1805 192 5.4 Factor shares, weighted sum of factor inputs and Total Factor Productivity 194 VI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My biggest debt of gratitude is to my advisors, Professors David Richardson and Mike Turner. Both professors were given the onerous task of facilitating the completion of my doctoral thesis. Throughout my time at Hull, they showed faith and friendship. Their penetrating observations and editorial guidance have helped me to utilize my research to the fullest extent. More importantly, they believed in me. While my academic journey may have been long, challenging, and at times reckless, it was by no means lonely. I have benefited tremendously from the friendship and support given me by many people. I am particularly indebted to Michael Goslin, who sat with me for hours helping to organize my data. I am also indebted to Donley Carrington, who took the time from his studies to teach me Microsoft Excel and SPSS, and who acted as a 'bouncing board' for ideas. There was never a time that I called on either and they said no, and for that I am eternally grateful. Other friends also deserve mention, in particular, Ronald and Veronica Platt, who opened their home to me on countless occasions while I was in London. Their sustained hospitality enlivened my research and time there. Sirieta Mullings offered friendship and smoothed my path in numerous ways in London. I extend my profound gratitude to my family for the sacrifice, faith, and love shown to me during those difficult days away from home. To my wife Carolann, I thank you for the many sacrifices you have made, and your unending support. To my mother, Yvonne Porter; Vll brother, Walwin Taylor, and sister, Saleem Clarke, I will never forget those late night telephone calls offering support. Despite the many challenges, I always had their support. I extend a special thanks to Professor Verene Shepherd and other members of the History Department, University ofthe West Indies, Mona Campus, for laying the foundations for this work, and for contributing generously towards its completion. I am also indebted to the librarians and staff of the Brynmor Jones Library, Hull; the West Indies Collection, University of the West Indies, Mona; The Jamaica Archives, Spanish Town; The Island Records Office; Twickenham Park; The National Library of Jamaica, Kingston; The National Archives, and the British Library, London. I thank them for their cooperation, and most important of all, their patience in dealing with on-the-go researchers like myself. viii Introduction The concept of economic growth and prosperity, and all the variables that contribute to it, seems antithetical to the period of slavery. In fact, it is more commonplace to conjure images of unproductive, resistant, oppressed, and unmotivated labourers working long hours and under dehumanizing conditions. Such conditions are tantamount to the workplace described by Fredrick Taylor when he wrote of the 'scientific management' work environment.