This article explores a history of self-organisation among the Basotho traders in Lesotho’s colonial and post-colonial commerce from the 1870s to the 2010s. Using historical sources, the article argues that Basotho’s forms of self-organisation – voluntary business associations and co-operatives – are indispensable in their persistent struggle for economic democracy. Under colonial (1870s–1966) and post-colonial (1966–2010s) conditions of poverty, exclusion and authoritarianism, their forms of self-organisation, outside state intervention, blends their economic and political aspirations to have a meaningful say and participation in the economic affairs of their country. Their associational life illuminates particularised normative forms of humanism embedded in the historic and social fabric of their society.

本文探讨了 1870 年代至 2010 年代莱索托殖民和后殖民贸易中巴索托商人的自组织历史。文章利用历史资料认为，巴索托的自组织形式——自愿的商业协会和合作社——在他们为经济民主进行的持久斗争中是不可或缺的。在贫困、排斥和威权主义的殖民（1870-1966 年代）和后殖民（1966-2010 年代）条件下，他们的自我组织形式、外部国家干预，融合了他们的经济和政治愿望，以在政治中拥有有意义的发言权和参与他们国家的经济事务。他们的社团生活阐明了嵌入其社会历史和社会结构中的人文主义的特殊规范形式。