Despite apparent differences, the strategies of the three countries have some common features as well that may inform other counties about the measures institutional reconciliation may entail. Ten years later, in 2017, the number of conflicts was 18, taking place in 13 different countries. When a seemingly brittle regime reaches the end of its life, it becomes clear that the state-society gap is really a regime-society gap; the state withers and its institutions become hollow shells that serve mainly to extract rents. Womens access to property rights is also limited, as they are often denied the right of access to inheritance as well as equal division of property in cases of divorce. It is unlikely, however, that such harmony can be brought about by measures that aim to abolish the traditional system, as was attempted by some countries in the aftermath of decolonization. They include: Monarchs (absolute or constitutional): While the colonial state reduced most African kings to chiefs, a few survived as monarchs. Space opened up for African citizens and civil society movements, while incumbent regimes were no longer able to rely on assured support from erstwhile external partners. Land privatization is, thus, unworkable in pastoral communities, as communal land ownership would be unworkable in a capitalist economy. The colonial state modified their precolonial roles. The African state system has gradually developed a stronger indigenous quality only in the last twenty-five years or so. Another common feature is the involvement of traditional authorities in the governance process, at least at the local level. A long-term route to political and economic success has been comprehensively documented by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson in their global study of why nations fail or succeed. Department of Political Science, Pennsylvania State University, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Contentious Politics and Political Violence, Political Values, Beliefs, and Ideologies, Why African Traditional Institutions Endure, Authority Systems of Africas Traditional Institutions, Relevance and Paradox of Traditional Institutions, https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1347, United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, Global Actors: Networks, Elites, and Institutions, Traditional Leaders and Development in Africa. Cookie Settings. Botswanas strategy has largely revolved around integrating parallel judicial systems. The term covers the expressed commands of Prominent among these Sudanic states was the Soninke Kingdom of Ancient Ghana. While empirical data are rather scanty, indications are that the traditional judicial system serves the overwhelming majority of rural communities (Mengisteab & Hagg, 2017). African Politics: A Very Short Introduction explores how politics is practised on the African continent, providing an overview of the different states and their systems. African Political Systems is an academic anthology edited by the anthropologists Meyer Fortes and E. E. Evans-Pritchard which was published by Oxford University Press on the behalf of the International African Institute in 1940. . A second objective is to draw a tentative typology of the different authority systems of Africas traditional institutions. The terms Afrocentrism, Afrocology, and Afrocentricity were coined in the 1980s by the African American scholar and activist Molefi Asante. 79 (3), (1995) pp. Most African countries have yet to develop carefully considered strategies of how to reconcile their fragmented institutional systems. Under the circumstances, it becomes critical that traditional leaders are directly involved in local governance so that they protect the interests of their communities. In many cases, the invented chieftaincies were unsuccessful in displacing the consensus-based governance structures (Gartrell, 1983; Uwazie, 1994). Maintenance of law and order: the primary and most important function of the government is to maintain law and order in a state. An election bound to be held in the year 2019 will unveil the new . "Law" in traditional Igbo and other African societies assumes a wide dimension and should be understood, interpreted, and applied as such, even if such a definition conflicts with the Western idea. However, the system of traditional government varied from place to place. Ousted royals such as Haile Selassie (Ethiopia) and King Idriss (Libya) may be replaced by self-anointed secular rulers who behave as if they were kings until they, in turn, get overthrown. Integration of traditional and modern governance systems in Africa. Click here to get an answer to your question Discuss any similarities between the key features of the fourth republican democracy and the traditional afri David and Joan Traitel Building & Rental Information, National Security, Technology & Law Working Group, Middle East and the Islamic World Working Group, Military History/Contemporary Conflict Working Group, Technology, Economics, and Governance Working Group, Answering Challenges to Advanced Economies, Understanding the Effects of Technology on Economics and Governance, Support the Mission of the Hoover Institution. Subsequent to the colonial experience, traditional institutions may be considered to be informal institutions in the sense that they are often not sanctioned by the state. The usual plethora of bour- Another layer represents the societal norms and customs that differ along various cultural traits. To complicate matters further, the role of traditional institutions is likely to be critical in addressing the problem of institutional fragmentation. African countries are characterized by fragmentation of various aspects of their political economy, including their institutions of governance. African conflict trends point to a complex picture, made more so by the differing methodologies used by different research groups. This outline leads us to examine more closely the sources of legitimacy in African governance systems. Another issue that needs some clarification is the neglect by the literature of the traditional institutions of the political systems without centralized authority structures. For example, the electoral college forces a republic type of voting system. This adds to the challenge of building national identities; this identity vacuum increases the risk that political elites and social groups will capture the state for narrower, self-interested purposes that weaken, rather than strengthen, social cohesion. The end of colonialism, however, did not end institutional dichotomy, despite attempts by some postcolonial African states to abolish the traditional system, especially the chieftaincy-based authority systems. In direct contrast is the second model: statist, performance-based legitimacy, measured typically in terms of economic growth and domestic stability as well as government-provided servicesthe legitimacy claimed by leaders in Uganda and Rwanda, among others. The relationship between traditional leadership and inherited western-style governance institutions often generates tensions. The political systems of most African nations are based on forms of government put in place by colonial authorities during the era of European rule. The government system is a republic; the chief of state and head of government is the president. Some African leaders such as Ghanas Jerry Rawlings, Zambias Kenneth Kaunda, or Mozambiques Joachim Chissano accept and respect term limits and stand down. In traditional African communities, it was not possible to distinguish between religious and non-religious areas of life. Although considerable differences exist among the various systems, opportunities for women to participate in decision making in most traditional systems are generally limited. When conflicts evolve along ethnic lines, they are readily labelled ethnic conflict as if caused by ancient hatreds; in reality, it is more often caused by bad governance and by political entrepreneurs. However, they are not merely customs and norms; rather they are systems of governance, which were formal in precolonial times and continue to exist in a semiformal manner in some countries and in an informal manner in others.1. Judicial marginalization: Another challenge posed by institutional fragmentation relates to marginalization of the traditional system within the formal legal system. Although much has been lost in the shadows and fogs of a time before people created written accounts, historians . The quality and durability of such leader-defined adaptive resilience cannot be assured and can be reversed unless the associated norms become institutionalized. Throughout our over one-hundred-year history, our work has directly led to policies that have produced greater freedom, democracy, and opportunity in the United States and the world. Such a transformation would render traditional institutions dispensable. Certain offences were regarded as serious offences. Its ability to influence policy is limited in large part because of its institutional detachment from the state and because of its poverty and lack of capacity to participate in the political process. Why traditional institutional systems endure, how large the adherents to them is, and why populations, especially in rural areas, continue to rely on traditional institutions, even when an alternative system is provided by the state, and what the implications of institutional dichotomy is are questions that have not yet received adequate attention in the literature. Because these governmental institutions reject the indigenous political systems on which African society was built, they have generally failed to bring political . Note that Maine and . With the introduction of the Black Administration Act the African system of governance and administration was changed and the white government took control of the African population. One-sided violence against unarmed civilians has also spiked up since 2011.4, These numbers require three major points of clarification. The political history of Africa begins with the emergence of hominids, archaic humans andat least 200,000 years agoanatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens), in East Africa, and continues unbroken into the present as a patchwork of diverse and politically developing nation states. Based on existing evidence, the authority systems in postcolonial Africa lie in a continuum between two polar points. First, many of the conflicts enumerated take place within a limited number of conflict-affected countries and in clearly-defined geographic zones (the Sahel and Nigeria; Central Africa; and the Horn.) The result is transitory resilience of the regime, but shaky political stability, declining cohesion, and eventual conflict or violent change. In this view, nations fail because of extractive economic and political institutions that do not provide incentives for growth and stability. This chapter examines traditional leadership within the context of the emerging constitutional democracy in Ghana. The arguments against traditional institutions are countered by arguments that consider traditional institutions to be indispensable and that they should be the foundations of African institutions of governance (Davidson, 1992). They are already governing much of rural Africa. To learn more, visit The Obas and Caliphs of Nigeria and the Zulu of South Africa are other examples. In any case, as . The leaders, their families and allies are exempt. The leader is accountable to various levels of elders, who serve as legislators and as judges (Legesse, 1973; Taa, 2017). Paramount chiefs with rather weak system of accountability: The Buganda of Uganda and the Nupe in Nigeria are good examples. Africa's tumultuous political history has resulted in extreme disparities between the wealth and stability of its countries. The problems that face African governments are universal. My intention in this chapter is to explore the traditional African ideas and values of politics with a view to pointing up what may be described as the democratic features of the indigenous system of government and to examine whether, and in what ways, such features can be said to be harmonious with the ethos of contemporary political culture and hence can be said to be relevant to . 1.4. Somalilands strategy has brought traditional leaders into an active role in the countrys formal governance by creating an upper house in parliament, the Guurti, where traditional leaders exercise the power of approving all bills drafted by the lower house of parliament. Traditional African religions are less of faith traditions and more of lived traditions. Government and Political Systems. Before then, traditional authorities essentially provided leadership for the various communities and kingdoms. Hoover Education Success Initiative | The Papers. Legitimate authority, in turn, is based on accepted laws and norms rather than the arbitrary, unconstrained power of the rulers. You cant impose middle class values on a pre-industrial society.13. African political elites are more determined than ever to shape their own destiny, and they are doing so. Democratic and dictatorial regimes both vest their authority in one person or a few individuals. Government as a Structural Element of Society 2.2. It assigned them new roles while stripping away some of their traditional roles. Traditional and informal justice systems aim at restoring social cohesion within the community by promoting reconciliation between disputing parties. Introduction: The Meaning of the Concept Government 1.1. They also serve as guardians and symbols of cultural values and practices. Executive, legislative, and judicial functions are generally attributed by most modern African constitutions to presidents and prime ministers, parliaments, and modern judiciaries. A partial explanation as to why the traditional systems endure was given in the section Why African Traditional Institutions Endure. The argument in that section was that they endure primarily because they are compatible with traditional economic systems, under which large segments of the African population still operate. Poor gender relations: Traditional institutions share some common weaknesses. . In some cases, they are also denied child custody rights. 1. While comprehensive empirical studies on the magnitude of adherence to traditional institutions are lacking, some studies point out that most people in rural areas prefer the judicial service provided by traditional institutions to those of the state, for a variety of reasons (Logan, 2011; Mengisteab & Hagg, 2017). The key lies in identifying the variables that will shape its context. Indications are, however, that the more centralized the system is, the lower the accountability and popular participation in decision making. Paramount chiefs: Another category of leadership structure is that of hereditary paramount chieftaincy with various traditional titles and various levels of accountability. Traditional affairs. In many tribes, the chief was the representative of the ancestors. Constitutions of postcolonial states have further limited the power of chiefs. Greater access to public services and to productivity-enhancing technology would also help in enhancing the transformation of the subsistence sector. Roughly 80% of rural populations in selected research sites in Ethiopia, for example, say that they rely on traditional institutions to settle disputes, while the figure is around 65% in research sites in Kenya (Mengisteab & Hagg, 2017). Similarly, the process of conflict resolution is undertaken in an open assembly and is intended to reconcile parties in conflict rather than to merely punish offenders. The regime in this case captures the state, co-opts the security organs, and dissolves civil society. In general, decentralized political systems, which are often elder-based with group leadership, have received little attention, even though these systems are widespread and have the institutions of judicial systems and mechanisms of conflict resolution and allocation of resources, like the institutions of the centralized systems. The council of elders, religious leaders, and administrative staff of the chiefs exercise checks on the power of the leaders and keep them accountable (Beattie, 1967; Busia, 1968; Coplan & Quinlan, 1997; Jones, 1983; Osaghae, 1989). The purpose is to stress that such efforts and the attendant will Among the key challenges associated with institutional fragmentation are the following: Policy incoherence: Fragmented economies and institutions represent dichotomous socioeconomic spaces, which makes it highly challenging for policy to address equitably the interests of the populations in these separate socioeconomic spaces. Interestingly, small and mid-size state leaders have won the award so far.) Analysis here is thus limited to traditional authority systems under the postcolonial experience. Womens inequality in the traditional system is related, at least in part, to age- and gender-based divisions of labor characterizing traditional economic systems. With respect to their relevance, traditional institutions remain indispensable for several reasons. Problems and Purpose. At the same time, traditional institutions represent institutional fragmentation, which has detrimental effects on Africas governance and economic transformation. The movement towards a formal state system is characterized by its emphasis on retribution and punishment. Chiefs with limited power: Another category of chiefs is those that are hereditary, like the paramount chiefs, but have limited powers. 2. 7. While this attribute of the traditional system may not be practical at the national level, it can be viable at local levels and help promote democratic values. Copy this link, or click below to email it to a friend. Posted: 12 May 2011. The jury is still out on the merits of this practice. The origins of this institutional duality, the implications of which are discussed in Relevance and Paradox of Traditional Institutions, are largely traceable to the colonial state, as it introduced new economic and political systems and superimposed corresponding institutional systems upon the colonies without eradicating the existed traditional economic, political, and institutional systems. Traditional institutions already adjudicate undisclosed but large proportions of rural disputes. President Muhammadu Buhari is currently the federal head of state and government. An analytical study and impact of colonialism on pre-colonial centralized and decentralized African Traditional and Political Systems. Many other countries have non-centralized elder-based traditional institutions. In Igbo land for example the system of government was quite unique and transcends the democracy of America and Europe. While this seems obvious, it is less clear what vectors and drivers will have the most weight in shaping that outcome. Understanding the Gadaa System. They are well known, among others, for their advancement of an indigenous democratic process known as Gadaa. . The opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University. The express prohibition in the African Charter against discrimination according to ethnic group constitutes a major step for the continent as a whole because the realization of this right will lead to greater economic opportunity for those people not of the same kinship as the head of government. Many of the chieftaincy systems, such as those in much of South Africa, the Asantehene of the Ashanti of Ghana, the Tswana of Botswana, and the Busoga of Uganda seem to fall within this category. But the context in which their choices are made is directly influenced by global political trends and the room for maneuver that these give to individual governments and their leaders. The system of government in the traditional Yoruba society was partially centralised and highly democratic. Key Takeaways. Using a second conflict lens, the number of non-state conflicts has increased dramatically in recent years, peaking in 2017 with 50 non-state conflicts, compared to 24 in 2011. They dispense justice, resolve conflicts, and enforce contracts, even though such services are conducted in different ways in different authority systems. To sum up, traditional institutions provide vital governance services to communities that operate under traditional socioeconomic spaces. Most African countries are characterized by parallel institutions, one representing the formal laws of the state and the other representing the traditional institutions that are adhered to more commonly in rural areas. This layer of institutions is the subject of inquiry of this article. This brief essay began by identifying the state-society gap as the central challenge for African governance.
Who Said Democracy Is The Tyranny Of The Uninformed,
Articles F