Ujamaa in Tanzania: Problems and Prospects

Tanzania: A Young Nation in a Hurry, by MacDonald Alexander .

Ujamaa , a Swahili word, refers to many things, but particularly to the mutual cooperation and equalitarianism, characteristic of traditional African society.

During one rainy season the major rail line between Tabora in Central Tanganyika and Kigoma in the West went under water.

Lury Denis , “Brief Statistical Background for East African Federation.” Paper presented to the second conference on public policy on E. A. Federation, Nairolsi, Nov. 26–30, 1964.

Dar-es-Salaam had 128,742 people in the 1957 census. It now is estimated to have 200,000 people in 1972. It is interesting to add that this is a contemporary feature of all African nations.

In certain regions people can immigrate to Dar-es-Salaam only with the permission of their regional commissioner, and the area commissioner of Dar-es-Salaam is empowered to deport loiterers from the city.

There are two problems which are relevant to Tanzania accounting: Simple accounts imply that all output is exchanged for money; but in two respects this is not true. Output in a given period may be produced voluntarily or involuntarily for stock and so some valuation of stock charges must be made. Also, part of the output total may be consumed by producers and not exchanged for money at all. This raises the question of valuation of the subsistence economy. For example, how does one determine the value of the output of work done on shambas (household plots)? There is also the question of accumulating and translating statistics.

Ghai Dharam , “Some Aspects of Income Distribution in E.A.” EDRP paper 51, Nov. 1964, p. 3.

In some areas–Masailand, Dodoma parts of Mara Region–cattle are raised. But many of the cattle growers also fall into the subsistence sector since they raise cattle as a sign of status and wealth but do not keep them to sell for cash.

Ehrlich Cyril , “The Economy of Tanganyika, 1945–1960,” p. 2–3.

On the whole, since the middle of the 1950's, exports have expanded at a faster rate than imports, hence, there has been a steady growth of a favorable trade balance in recent years. The favorable balance of overseas trade has been reduced by deficits on inter-territorial trade with neighboring Kenya and Uganda. The U.K. has been the biggest market for Tanzania's goods. See Tanganyika Data Book: Commerce and Industry. (Dar-es-Salaam Government Printer 1972). Domestic exports as a per cent of monetary GDP were 45.8% in 1954, and 42.8% in 1961, and 40.0% in 1972. In 1972 of the total export of $140.1 million, agriculture accounted for $80.1 million or over 76% of total exports.

The British colonial government had established controls through a lint and seed Market Board set up in 1952.

The number of employed fell 15%, or from 397,000 to 342,000.

While the number of employed fell, the wage bill rose 9% between 1962 and 1963, and average cash earnings rose 35%. See budget speech of the Minister of Finance. Tanganyika Standard: June 17, 1964.

Swai Nsile , “Address to the National Assembly,” reprinted in 5-year Plan I.

“Tanganyika, Development plan for Tanganyika 1961/1962–1963/1964.” (Dar-es-Salaam)Govt. Printer, 1962.

Ibid., p. 7–8.

Tanganyika Standard, May 13, 1964.

5-year Plan, 1964–1969, Vol. I, p. 1.

EASCO ceased to exist with the inception of the EAC under an agreement signed by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Source: Tanzania, Background to the Budget, an Economic Survey. Government Press, Dar-es-Salaam, 1964.

See the Nationalist, Sept. 9, 1970.

“Tanganyika Sunday News.” Republic Day, December 9, 1962, p. 12.

Nyerere , 1967 c Tanzania, 1969 b. pp. 26–28.

“African Development.” Dec. 1970, p. 11.

Helleiner G. K. is a professor of political economy, at the University of Toronto. In an article entitled “Socialism and Economic Development in Tanzania,” in the Journal of Development Studies , Vol. 8, #2, Jan. 1972, pp. 183–204, he argues inter alia that pushing of socialist policies beyond the capacity of available skills to manage them is seen as the greatest future risk to the experiment and growth rate.

Saul J. Arrighi G. , 1968. “Socialism and Economic Development in Tropical Africa.” Journal of Modem African Studies, Vol. VI, #2, p. 152–153.

Public Administration in Tanzania, by Von Sperber , p. 102–103.

Ibid, p. 105.

Ibid., p. 106.

Ibid., p. 106.

Clark Colin Haswell M. , The Economics of Subsistence Agriculture.

EARC, 1953–1955. Report, p. 185.

EARC, op. cit., p. 99.

IBRD, p. 105.

Nyerere , “Will Democracy Work in Africa?” p. 3–4.

Morse Chandler , “The Economics of African Socialism” African Socialism, p. 35–52.

Nyerere , Ujamaa: The Basis of African Socialism, p. 2.

Ibid, p. 2.

African Development, Dec. 1972, Tanzania-Ujamaa, P.T. 9.

Ibid, P.T. 9.

Ibid, T. 11.