INSIDE THE NUMBERS: USING PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DATA TO ANALYZE EAST AFRICAN IMPORTED SOAP CONSUMPTION, 1870-1914
Social historians identify soap as a “new need,” and argue its consumption indicates changing notions of bodily cleanliness, beauty and status. Relying largely on qualitative evidence such as traveler and missionary accounts, print advertising and oral interviews, they contend African soap use was i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Economic & Business History Society
2015-04-01
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| Series: | Essays in Economic and Business History |
| Online Access: | https://www.ebhsoc.org/journal/index.php/ebhs/article/view/256 |
| _version_ | 1811265292203982848 |
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| author | Laird Jones |
| author_facet | Laird Jones |
| author_sort | Laird Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Social historians identify soap as a “new need,” and argue its consumption indicates changing notions of bodily cleanliness, beauty and status. Relying largely on qualitative evidence such as traveler and missionary accounts, print advertising and oral interviews, they contend African soap use was influenced by Christian missions, colonial education and branding in the marketplace. Quantitative evidence – limited customs data – neither confirms nor challenges this position. More detailed commercial records, however, paint a somewhat different picture. The East African correspondence of William O’Swald & Co. indicates that soap marketing predated both Christian missions and colonial influence. Further, general purpose laundry soap was the overwhelming best seller. Personal toilette soaps lagged far behind. Laundering imported cotton textiles appeared the motive for initial soap purchases, and perhaps also the first step toward later personal soap use. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:19:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-034848bbe6a44016aba411781e8a35af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0896-226X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:19:57Z |
| publishDate | 2015-04-01 |
| publisher | Economic & Business History Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Essays in Economic and Business History |
| spelling | doaj.art-034848bbe6a44016aba411781e8a35af2022-12-22T03:18:00ZengEconomic & Business History SocietyEssays in Economic and Business History0896-226X2015-04-01331256INSIDE THE NUMBERS: USING PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DATA TO ANALYZE EAST AFRICAN IMPORTED SOAP CONSUMPTION, 1870-1914Laird JonesSocial historians identify soap as a “new need,” and argue its consumption indicates changing notions of bodily cleanliness, beauty and status. Relying largely on qualitative evidence such as traveler and missionary accounts, print advertising and oral interviews, they contend African soap use was influenced by Christian missions, colonial education and branding in the marketplace. Quantitative evidence – limited customs data – neither confirms nor challenges this position. More detailed commercial records, however, paint a somewhat different picture. The East African correspondence of William O’Swald & Co. indicates that soap marketing predated both Christian missions and colonial influence. Further, general purpose laundry soap was the overwhelming best seller. Personal toilette soaps lagged far behind. Laundering imported cotton textiles appeared the motive for initial soap purchases, and perhaps also the first step toward later personal soap use.https://www.ebhsoc.org/journal/index.php/ebhs/article/view/256 |
| spellingShingle | Laird Jones INSIDE THE NUMBERS: USING PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DATA TO ANALYZE EAST AFRICAN IMPORTED SOAP CONSUMPTION, 1870-1914 Essays in Economic and Business History |
| title | INSIDE THE NUMBERS: USING PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DATA TO ANALYZE EAST AFRICAN IMPORTED SOAP CONSUMPTION, 1870-1914 |
| title_full | INSIDE THE NUMBERS: USING PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DATA TO ANALYZE EAST AFRICAN IMPORTED SOAP CONSUMPTION, 1870-1914 |
| title_fullStr | INSIDE THE NUMBERS: USING PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DATA TO ANALYZE EAST AFRICAN IMPORTED SOAP CONSUMPTION, 1870-1914 |
| title_full_unstemmed | INSIDE THE NUMBERS: USING PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DATA TO ANALYZE EAST AFRICAN IMPORTED SOAP CONSUMPTION, 1870-1914 |
| title_short | INSIDE THE NUMBERS: USING PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DATA TO ANALYZE EAST AFRICAN IMPORTED SOAP CONSUMPTION, 1870-1914 |
| title_sort | inside the numbers using private commercial data to analyze east african imported soap consumption 1870 1914 |
| url | https://www.ebhsoc.org/journal/index.php/ebhs/article/view/256 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lairdjones insidethenumbersusingprivatecommercialdatatoanalyzeeastafricanimportedsoapconsumption18701914 |