detailed historical research to tell the story of that success, and suggest that it is perhaps not

so unique after all. At the same time, they have shown how detailed case studies can contribute

to a more nuanced and complete understanding of African economic development since the

nineteenth century."

and interesting evidence demonstrating that the gap between rich and poor, so evident in

Botswana today, first began to show up in the 1940s."

- Neil Parsons, University of Botswana

sub-Saharan Africa. Due to its spectacular long-run economic performance and impressive

social development, it has been termed both an economic success story and a developmental

state. While there is uniqueness in the Botswana experience, several aspects of the country's

been both blessed and hindered by its natural resource abundance and dependency, which have

influenced growth periods, opportunities for economic diversification, strategies for sustainable

economic and social development, and the distribution of incomes and opportunities.

of an African success story.

Ellen Hillbom is an Associate Professor at the Department of Economic History, Lund

Jutta Bolt is an Associate Professor at the Department of Economic History, Lund University,

Sweden and affiliated with the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.