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From colonisation to globalisation: a history of state capture by the tobacco industry in Malawi

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  • Julia Smith
  • Kelley Lee

Abstract

Malawi, the world’s most tobacco-dependent country, has long defended the tobacco industry as essential to its economy. The impoverished living conditions of tobacco farmers, however, raise questions about the true benefits accruing to the country. While the government and industry often blame public health advocates for declining leaf prices, and thus lower returns to farmers, this article scrutinises these claims from a historical perspective. It argues that a context of state capture has characterised Malawi’s tobacco industry, originating with colonisation and evolving since to become increasingly entrenched. The analysis is divided into four periods: colonial (1890s–1964); national (1964–1981); liberalisation (1981–2004) and accelerated globalisation (2004 to present). Each period demonstrates how industry interests influenced government institutions and policies in ways that increased dependence on a crop that only benefits a minority of Malawians. Today, a transnational elite prospers at the expense of local growers.

Suggested Citation

  • Julia Smith & Kelley Lee, 2018. "From colonisation to globalisation: a history of state capture by the tobacco industry in Malawi," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(156), pages 186-202, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:revape:v:45:y:2018:i:156:p:186-202
    DOI: 10.1080/03056244.2018.1431213
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    Cited by:

    1. Julia Smith & Jennifer Fang, 2020. "‘If you kill tobacco, you kill Malawi’: Structural barriers to tobacco diversification for sustainable development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1575-1583, November.
    2. Gómez, Eduardo J., 2022. "Enhancing our understanding of the commercial determinants of health: Theories, methods, and insights from political science," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    3. Madelyn Clark & Peter Magati & Jeffrey Drope & Ronald Labonte & Raphael Lencucha, 2020. "Understanding Alternatives to Tobacco Production in Kenya: A Qualitative Analysis at the Sub-National Level," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-14, March.
    4. Nicole Nguenha & Benedito Cunguara & Stella Bialous & Jeffrey Drope & Raphael Lencucha, 2021. "An Overview of the Policy and Market Landscape of Tobacco Production and Control in Mozambique," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Jennifer Fang & Lauren De Souza & Julia Smith & Kelley Lee, 2020. "“All Weather Friends”: How China Transformed Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-13, January.

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