ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the effects of the introduction of a widely circulating currency on the development of social classes. Our focus was during the cowry regime, up to the end of the nineteenth century. We deal with the interface between money and classes. There is some confusion in the literature on the notion of class in African societies. There is also an overemphasis on the supposedly “centerless” or “stateless” character of African societies. These prevent a rigorous discussion of class. It is asserted that traditional societies had no classes since there is a high degree of mechanical solidarity. 1 Therefore, because of the literature on the denial of classes in Africa and the excessive use of the concept of the “communal” we have devoted more space to the clarifications of class and stratification as they can be applied to the African situation.
