The Regional Fragmentation of West Africa and the Integration into the World Economy from the Perspective of Money: the 19th and 20th Centuries.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24530394
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Economic history
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Masaki Toyomu 金沢大学, 経済学経営学系, 教授 (30315527)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 通貨 / 西アフリカ / ギネ（インド産藍染綿布） / 地域経済統合 / 商品貨幣 / 植民地通貨 / 共通通貨 / グローバルヒストリー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research focuses on the role of monetary evolution (i.e., the transition from commodity money to regional money passing through colonial and national money) on the changes in economic relationships at both regional and global levels. Due to colonization, the circulation areas of the existing commodity money were reshaped by European powers. Specifically, they were incorporated into some currency areas such as franc, sterling, and escudo. After independence, former French territories tended to maintain the colonial currency system, while former British and Portuguese colonies opted for a direct integration into the world economy by issuing their own national currencies. Nowadays, these ex-colonies have been making efforts towards the creation of a common currency area. In addition, this research clarifies the role of an indigo-dyed cotton cloth from French India, known as guinee, introduced by France in the 19th century as a means of payment in Senegal and French Sudan.

Free Research Field

世界経済論