Finance capital and peasants in Colonial West Africa: A comment on Cowen and Shenton

The presence of finance capital in colonial West Africa was predicated on the presence of imperial administration and merchant capital. From these it derived its profits. Cowen and Shenton suggested finance capital was seeking to diversify its sources of profit by engaging cocoa farmers in credit. While this may have been true for the period of cocoa boom before the First World War, it is argued in this piece that in 1938‐more than 20 years later ‐ the banks’ motivation was entirely defensive. No diversification was intended, and the action was directed at salvaging current business. This comment does not question Cowen and Shenton's ‘Fabianism’ thesis but substitutes merchant for finance capital as being in conflict with Colonial Office attitudes.     

论政府的文化责任

文化责任应成为政府担负的重要责任。文章认为,文化责任是政府在行使职能与服务中所具有的文化精神,并由此体现和形成的文化价值与理念、文化形象与导向,通过文化执行能力和管理能力,形成促进社会发展的文化生产力。政府的文化责任对社会是一种指示和标志性的行为,它与一个国家的民族精神状态和社会经济发展共同形成完整的文化生态系统。