Suchergebnisse

Situated on ancient and modern sea routes, Madagascar is an example of a spot where original inhabitants of eastern Africa and diverse peoples from Asia meet and mix. The first immigrations preceded the Christian era; in the present period a new influx of migrants appeared. These date from the end of the 19th cent, and have been Indians and Chinese coming as workers and merchants. Today such immigrants number about 15,000. The Indian immigrants are primarily merchants and Moslems; Chinese, primarily as railway laborers. Both Indians and Chinese are dispersed in the smallest villages as retailers and also play an important part in the wholesale business. Thus they control agriculture and production, without producing anything themselves. Local decrees have tried to protect the native econ against certain Asiatic business practices but these regulations can be evaded. The Asiatics are not politically active. Their strength, and their danger, lies in the fact that they drain the country of wealth. They send it to the home country or buy land or buildings. They do not invest in new enterprise either agricultural or productive. There are beginning at the present time, new European land exploitation projects which promise a diminution of Asiatic control of the plantations. J. E. Hughes.