Wilson worked with his wife to analyse the rapid economic and social changes that were occurring in the British colonies of Northern Rhodesia, Tanganyika Territory, and Nyasaland.
His "Essay on the Economics of Detribalization in Northern Rhodesia" and their book, The Analysis of Social Change (1945), is based on this work.
Wilson became an outspoken critic of the mining companies and refused to tone down his work to support official views.
[2] Wilson left the institute in 1942, and went on to join the South African Medical Corps, where he served in North Africa.
He committed suicide while on active service in 1945[2][3][5] as Lieutenant with the South African Engineer Corps aged 35 and is buried at Thaba Tshwane (New) Military Cemetery.