Review by Choice Review
"The central argument of this book is that the cotton revolution in Cote d'Ivoire has been shaped in fundamental ways by African peasant farmers as they struggled with a variety of agents (e.g., colonial administrators, merchants) as well as among themselves over the direction of these changes." This is in sharp contrast to the vast bulk of economic development literature, which elaborates on the fundamental thesis that peasant farmers are mired in tradition and ignorance and must be "educated" by "experts" in Europe and North America. However, "Despite the populist veneer to this book's title, this story has not been written as a simple counter-narrative that emphasizes peasant ingenuity in resisting or reworking state and private narratives to intensify cotton. Rather, I attempt to bring out the multiplicity of interests and actors implicated in this story...." As a geographer, Bassett has both the breadth and depth of background necessary to seek out and understand the complexities of the African village where he did extensive field work, of the professional literature, and of such agencies as the World Bank. This is an excellent study of an important but little-known topic, for graduate students and faculty. M. I. Glassner emeritus, Southern Connecticut State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
