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Legacies of Loss: The intergenerational outcomes of slaveholder compensation in the British Cape Colony

Author

Listed:
  • Martins, Igor

    (Department of Economic History, Lund University)

  • Cilliers, Jeanne

    (Department of Economic History, Lund University)

  • Fourie, Johan

    (Stellenbosch University)

Abstract

Can wealth shocks have intergenerational health consequences? We use the partial compensation slaveholders received after the 1834 slave emancipation in the British Cape Colony to measure the intergenerational effects of a wealth loss on longevity. Because the share of partial compensation received was uncorrelated to wealth, we can interpret the results as having a causal influence. We find that a greater loss of slave wealth shortened the lifespans of the generation of slaveholders that experienced the shock and those of their children, but not those of their grandchildren. We speculate on the mechanisms for this intergenerational persistence.

Suggested Citation

  • Martins, Igor & Cilliers, Jeanne & Fourie, Johan, 2019. "Legacies of Loss: The intergenerational outcomes of slaveholder compensation in the British Cape Colony," Lund Papers in Economic History 197, Lund University, Department of Economic History.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:luekhi:0197
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    Cited by:

    1. Johan Fourie, 2020. "The settlers of South Africa and the expanding frontier," Working Papers 14/2020, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    2. Ekama, Kate & Fourie, Johan & Heese, Hans & Martin, Lisa-Cheree, 2021. "When Cape slavery ended: Introducing a new slave emancipation dataset," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    intergenerational health; intergenerational persistence; wealth shock; lifespan; longevity; slaveemancipation; Cape Colony;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General
    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other
    • J47 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Coercive Labor Markets
    • N37 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Africa; Oceania
    • N47 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Africa; Oceania
    • N97 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Africa; Oceania

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