Luxury product consumption in Eighteenth-century Cape Colony households

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dc.contributor.authorFourie, Johanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorUys, Jolandien_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2012-08-17T12:34:49Z
dc.date.available2012-08-17T12:34:49Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.descriptionCITATION: Fourie, J. & Uys, J. 2012. Luxury product consumption in Eighteenth-century Cape Colony households. Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis, 9(2):29–60, doi:10.18352/tseg.264.
dc.descriptionThe original publication is available at https://www.tseg.nl
dc.description.abstractWhat we know about the material culture of eighteenth century Cape Colony settlers is mostly limited to qualitative evidence found in official documents, letters, travel accounts and other correspondence. This paper uses a new quantitative source - the MOOC probate inventories - to ascertain the nature, growth and distribution of luxury good ownership in the Cape Colony. The survey reveals a marginal increase over the course of the eighteenth century in household ownership, although the trend masks greater movements within different wealth groups, which supports the notion of high inequality within the European society at the Cape. The evidence presented here suggests that even the poorest had access to the most basic luxuries. In fact, comparisons with European and North American regions suggest that the Cape settlers were often more affuent, refuting the notion that the Cape Colony was an 'economic and social backwater', and confirming that it was at least partially integrated into the 'consumer revolution' of Western Europe.
dc.description.urihttps://www.tseg.nl/articles/abstract/10.18352/tseg.264/
dc.description.versionPublisher's version
dc.format.extent32 pages
dc.identifier.citationFourie, J. & Uys, J. 2012. Luxury product consumption in Eighteenth-century Cape Colony households. Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis, 9(2):29–60, doi:10.18352/tseg.264.
dc.identifier.issn2468-9068 (online)
dc.identifier.issn1572-1701 (print)
dc.identifier.otherdoi:10.18352/tseg.264
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/49274
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherInternational Institute of Social History
dc.rights.holderAuthors retain copyright
dc.subjectEconomics -- South Africa -- Cape of Good Hope -- History -- 18th centuryen_ZA
dc.subjectCape of Good Hope (South Africa) -- Economic conditions -- Historyen_ZA
dc.subjectLuxury goods industry -- Historyen_ZA
dc.titleLuxury product consumption in Eighteenth-century Cape Colony householdsen_ZA
dc.typeArticle
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