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Literacy at South African Mission Stations

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  • Johan Fourie
  • Robert Ross
  • Russel Viljoen

Abstract

Measures of education quality – primarily, years of schooling or literacy rates – are widely used to ascertain the contribution of human capital formation to long-run economic growth and development. This article, using a census of 4,678 mission station residents, documents literacy and numeracy rates of non-white citizens in nineteenth-century South Africa. The 1849 census allows for an investigation into how the mission stations influenced the growth of literacy in the Cape Colony. We find that age, gender, duration of residence, whether the individual arrived at the station after the emancipation of slaves or was born there and, importantly, which missionary society was operating the station: all of these matter for literacy performance. The results offer new insights into the comparative performance of missionary societies in South Africa, and contribute to the debate about the role of missionary societies in the development of a colonial society.

Suggested Citation

  • Johan Fourie & Robert Ross & Russel Viljoen, 2014. "Literacy at South African Mission Stations," Journal of Southern African Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(4), pages 781-800, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:cjssxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:781-800
    DOI: 10.1080/03057070.2014.931057
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    Cited by:

    1. Baten, Jörg & Cappelli, Gabriele, 2016. "The Evolution of Human Capital in Africa, 1730 – 1970: A Colonial Legacy?," CEPR Discussion Papers 11273, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Congdon Fors, Heather & Isaksson, Ann-Sofie & Lindskog, Annika, 2024. "Changing local customs: The long run impacts of Christian missions on female genital cutting in Africa," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    3. Fourie, Johan & Greyling, Jan, 2023. "Wheat productivity in the Cape Colony in 1825: evidence from newly transcribed tax censuses," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 62(01), February.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N37 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Africa; Oceania

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