Tin is unusual among primary commodities. From the time of its increased industrial demand in the mid-nineteenth century right up until the present day, a small number of less developed countries have been responsible for the bulk of world production aimed mainly at the Western market. On top of that, tin seems to have had a more profound effect on the economic development of its exporting countries - particularly those in South-East Asia - than any other metal.

This book traces the political economy of the tin industry during this time. Placing the commodity within its historic context, it discusses the attempts both to cartelise the industry in the inter-war years, and control the price of tin by international agreement in the post-war period, and includes an analysis of the development effects of tin exporting and an account of the great structural changes in the industry since the collapse of the International Tin Agreement in 1985.

Other themes explored cover the changing trends in consumption, the role played by foreign investors and multinationals, the interaction between alternative production techniques and of ownership and control of the industry, and government policy interventions to secure resource rents.