Public finances under private company rule: The Dutch Cape Colony (1652–1795).
Loading...
Date
Authors
Fourie, J
Jansen, A
Siebrits, K
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
School for Basic Sciences, Vaal Triangle Campus, North-West University
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of the public finances of the Cape Colony
in the period during which it was governed by the Dutch East India Company
(1652–1795). Using information from secondary sources, the paper discusses
the expenditures and revenue sources of the Company at the Cape; in
addition, it reports findings on the composition and distribution of the tax
burden derived from an analysis of the “opgaafrolle” (the annual censuses that
were undertaken to determine tax obligations). It shows that the Company’s
expenses exceeded its revenues throughout the period under review and that
the tax system was broadly progressive. While the Dutch East India Company
invested little in the economic development of the Cape Colony, it did not use
the fiscal system to extract as much surplus as possible.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Fourie, J., Jansen, A. & Siebrits, K. 2013. Public finances under private company rule: The Dutch Cape Colony (1652–1795). New Contree : A journal of Historical and Human Sciences for Southern Africa. 68:51-71, Dec. [http://dspace.nwu.ac.za/handle/10394/4969]