ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book assesses the construction, or rather the completion, of the open economy during the first half of the colonial period. It provides continuity with the argument advanced and shows that the structural economic changes that began during the second half of the nineteenth century provided the foundation of the export economies that were to develop further during the colonial period. The book traces the evolution of West Africa’s economies during the second half of the colonial period and related them to the rise of nationalism. The justification emphasised the importance of filling a gap in the history not only of Africa but also of the underdevelopment world as a whole. Some centralised states in West Africa, such as Asante, maintained a network of roads for administrative and commercial purposes.
