Mlb Team Moving To Nashville, How Did Sam The Bartender Die On Gunsmoke?, Thornton Crematorium Book Of Remembrance, Articles F

Afrocentrism, also called Africentrism, cultural and political movement whose mainly African American adherents regard themselves and all other Blacks as syncretic Africans and believe that their worldview should positively reflect traditional African values. One scholar specializing on the Horn of Africa likens the situation a political marketplace in which politics and violence are simply options along the spectrum pursued by powerful actors.5. not because of, the unique features of US democracy . Its lack of influence on policy also leads to its marginalization in accessing resources and public services, resulting in poverty, poor knowledge, and a poor information base, which, in turn, limits its ability to exert influence on policy. In the thankfully rare cases where national governance breaks down completelySouth Sudan, Somalia, CARits absence is an invitation to every ethnic or geographic community to fend for itselfa classic security dilemma. Typically, such leaders scheme to rig elections or to change constitutional term limitsactions seen in recent years in such countries as Rwanda and Uganda. The colonial system constitutes the second section. The geography of South Africa is vast scrubland in the interior, the Namib Desert in the northwest, and tropics in the southeast. Another common feature is the involvement of traditional authorities in the governance process, at least at the local level. In Sierra Leone, paramount chiefs are community leaders and their tasks involve - among others - protecting community safety and resolving disputes. Abstract. As a result, customary law, which often is not recognized by the state or is recognized only when it does not contradict the constitution, does not protect communities from possible transgressions by the state. 134-141. The development of inclusive institutions may involve struggles that enable political and societal actors to check the domination of entrenched rulers and to broaden rule-based participation in governance. Competing land rights laws, for instance, often lead to appropriations by the state of land customarily held by communities, triggering various land-related conflicts in much of Africa, especially in areas where population growth and environmental degradation have led to land scarcity. The challenge facing Africas leadersperhaps above all othersis how to govern under conditions of ethnic diversity. Pastoral economic systems, for example, foster communal land tenure systems that allow unhindered mobility of livestock, while a capitalist economic system requires a private land ownership system that excludes access to others and allows long-term investments on land. Another issue that needs some clarification is the neglect by the literature of the traditional institutions of the political systems without centralized authority structures. Fitzpatrick 'Traditionalism and Traditional Law' Journal of African Law, Vol. 1995 focuses on social, economic, and intellectual trends up to the end of the colonial era. Nonhereditary selected leaders with constitutional power: A good example of this is the Gada system of the Oromo in Ethiopia and Kenya. The council system of the Berbers in Northern Africa also falls within this category (UNECA, 2007). In Igbo land for example the system of government was quite unique and transcends the democracy of America and Europe. Despite the adoption of constitutional term limits in many African countries during the 1990s, such restrictions have been reversed or defied in at least 15 countries since 2000, according to a recent report.6, The conflict-governance link takes various forms, and it points to the centrality of the variable of leadership. Executive, legislative, and judicial functions are generally attributed by most modern African constitutions to presidents and prime ministers, parliaments, and modern judiciaries. Prominent among these Sudanic states was the Soninke Kingdom of Ancient Ghana. The same source concluded that 7 out of the 12 worst scores for political rights and civil liberties are African.11 As noted, the reasons vary: patrimonialism gone wrong (the big man problem), extreme state fragility and endemic conflict risks, the perverse mobilization of ethnicity by weak or threatened leaders. African governance trends were transformed by the geopolitical changes that came with the end of the Cold War. Why the traditional systems endure, how the institutional dichotomy impacts the process of building democratic governance, and how the problems of institutional incoherence might be mitigated are issues that have not yet received adequate attention in African studies. Africa's tumultuous political history has resulted in extreme disparities between the wealth and stability of its countries. Ideally, African nations will benefit when civil society respects the states role (as well as the other way around); rather than one-sided advocacy, both sides should strive to create a space for debate in order to legitimize tolerance of multiple views in society. Thus, another report by PRIO and the University of Uppsala (two Norwegian and Swedish centers) breaks conflict down into state-based (where at least one party is a government), non-state-based (neither party is an official state actor), and one-sided conflicts (an armed faction against unarmed civilians). A second conflict pattern can develop along the lines of ethnic cleavages which can be readily politicized and then militarized into outright ethnic violence. All life was religious . 3. Most of the states that had attempted to abolish chieftaincy have retracted the abolitionist decrees and reinstated chiefs. Authority in this system was shared or distributed to more people within the community. However, the traditional judicial system has some weaknesses, especially with respect to gender equality. Others contend that African countries need to follow a mixed institutional system incorporating the traditional and formal systems (Sklar, 2003). Note that Maine and . African states, along with Asian, Middle Eastern, and even European governments, have all been affected. The key . The colonial state modified their precolonial roles. For example, the election day itself goes more or less peacefully, the vote tabulation process is opaque or obscure, and the entire process is shaped by a pre-election playing field skewed decisively in favor of the incumbents. Since then, many more have been formulated, but the main themes and ideas have remained. More frequently, this form of rule operates at the sub-state level as in the case of the emir of Kano or the Sultan of Sokoto in Nigeria or the former royal establishments of the Baganda (Uganda) or the Ashanti (Ghana). MyHoover delivers a personalized experience atHoover.org. For these and other reasons, the state-society gap lies at the heart of the problems faced by many states. They are the key players in providing judicial service and in conflict management in much of rural Africa. 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. These consisted of monarchy, aristocracy and polity. In light of this discussion of types of inclusion, the implications for dealing with state fragility and building greater resilience can now be spelled out. the system even after independence. 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. Hindrance to democratization: Perhaps among the most important challenges institutional fragmentation poses is to the process of democratization. This layer of institutions is the subject of inquiry of this article. Broadly speaking, indigenous systems of governance are those that were practiced by local populations in pre-colonial times. Indeed, it should be added that a high percentage of todays conflicts are recurrences of previous ones, often in slightly modified form with parties that may organize under more than one flag. Problems and Purpose. Oftentimes, however, they contradict each other, creating problems associated with institutional incoherence. This section grapples with the questions of whether traditional institutions are relevant in the governance of contemporary Africa and what implications their endurance has on Africas socioeconomic development. The rise of non-Western centers of power and the return of global polarization among major powers reduce the presence and weight of western influence. We know a good deal about what Africans want and demand from their governments from public opinion surveys by Afrobarometer. Pre-colonial Administration of the Yorubas. The purpose is to stress that such efforts and the attendant will Societal conflicts: Institutional dichotomy often entails incompatibility between the systems. 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. A third layer lies between the other two layers and is referred to in this article as traditional institutions. If more leaders practice inclusive politics or find themselves chastened by the power of civil society to do so, this could point the way to better political outcomes in the region. At times, devolution has had major fiscal and governance consequences, including serving as a vehicle for co-option and corruption. Under the circumstances, it becomes critical that traditional leaders are directly involved in local governance so that they protect the interests of their communities. Due to the influence of previous South African and Nigerian leaders, the African Union established the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to review and report on a range of governance criteria. Yet political stability cannot be based on state power alone, except in the short run. 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 chapter further examines the dabbling of traditional leaders in the political process in spite of the proscription of the institution from mainstream politics and, in this context, analyzes the policy rationale for attempting to detach chieftaincy from partisan politics. This we might call transformative resilience.21. 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. 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. Tribe Versus Ethnic Group. Poor leadership can result in acts of commission or omission that alienate or disenfranchise geographically distinct communities. The relationship between traditional leadership and inherited western-style governance institutions often generates tensions. If African political elite opinion converges with that of major external voices in favoring stabilization over liberal peacebuilding agendas, the implications for governance are fairly clear.17. Most African countries have yet to develop carefully considered strategies of how to reconcile their fragmented institutional systems. 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. This concept paper focuses on the traditional system of governance in Africa including their consensual decision-making models, as part of a broader effort to better define and advocate their role in achieving good governance. On the other hand, their endurance creates institutional fragmentation that has adverse impacts on Africas governance and socioeconomic transformation. The traditional Africa system of government is open and inclusive, where strangers, foreigners and even slaves could participate in the decision-making process. Traditional governments have the following functions; Introduction. The African state system has gradually developed a stronger indigenous quality only in the last twenty-five years or so. Aristotle was the first to define three principal types of government systems in the fourth century B.C. They also serve as guardians and symbols of cultural values and practices. Long-standing kingdoms such as those in Morocco and Swaziland are recognized national states. Wise leadership respects ethnic diversity and works toward inclusive policies. However, their endurance, along with that of traditional economic systems, have fostered institutional fragmentation, which has serious adverse effects on Africas governance and economic development. They are already governing much of rural Africa. The nature of governance is central because it determines whether the exercise of authority is viewed as legitimate. Not surprisingly, incumbent leaders facing these challenges look to short-term military remedies and extend a welcome to military partnerswith France, the United States, and the United Nations the leading candidates. Copy this link, or click below to email it to a friend. 2. After examining the history, challenges, and opportunities for the institution of traditional leadership within a modern democracy, the chapter considers the effect of the current constitutional guarantee for chieftaincy and evaluates its practical workability and structural efficiency under the current governance system. Your gift helps advance ideas that promote a free society. History. Institutions represent an enduring collection of formal laws and informal rules, customs, codes of conduct, and organized practices that shape human behavior and interaction. This short article does not attempt to provide answers to all these questions, which require extensive empirical study. Consequently, national and regional governance factors interact continuously. By the mid-1970s, the politics of Africa had turned authoritarian. The optimistic replyand it is a powerful oneis that Africans will gradually build inclusive political and economic institutions.18 This, however, requires wise leadership. Hoover scholars form the Institutions core and create breakthrough ideas aligned with our mission and ideals. Impact of Historical Origins of African State System2. A Sociology of Education for Africa . What policies and laws will determine relations between farmers and urban dwellers, between farmers and herders, between diverse identity groups living in close proximity or encroaching on each others farm land, and between public officials, criminal networks and ordinary citizens? In the past decade, traditional security systems utilized in commercial or government facilities have consisted of a few basic elements: a well-trained personnel, a CCTV system, and some kind of access control system. The question then becomes, how to be inclusive?19 A number of African states have decentralized their political decision-making systems and moved to share or delegate authority from the center to provincial or local levels. Invented chiefs and state-paid elders: These were chiefs imposed by the colonial state on decentralized communities without centralized authority systems. . The same technology vectors can also empower criminal, trafficking, and terrorist networks, all of which pose threats to state sovereignty. Presently, Nigeria practices the federal system. This is done through the enforcement agencies such as the police force. It then analyzes the implications of the dual allegiance of the citizenry to chiefs and the government. Why can't democracy with African characteristics maintain the values, culture and traditional system of handling indiscipline, injustice and information management in society to take firm roots. Countries such as Burkina Faso, Guinea, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, for example, attempted to strip chiefs of most of their authority or even abolish chieftaincy altogether. The structures of leadership of African traditional institutions are diverse and they have yet to be mapped out comprehensively. With respect to their relevance, traditional institutions remain indispensable for several reasons. Chief among them is that they remain key players in governing and providing various types of service in the traditional sector of the economy because of their compatibility with that economic system. Certain offences were regarded as serious offences. Although considerable differences exist among the various systems, opportunities for women to participate in decision making in most traditional systems are generally limited. If inclusion is the central ingredient, it will be necessary to explore in greater depth the resources leaders have available to pay for including various social groups and demographic cohorts. The guiding principle behind these two attributes is that conflict is a societal problem and that resolving conflict requires societal engagement. The first type is rights-based legitimacy deriving from rule of law, periodic elections, and alternation of political power, the kind generally supported by western and some African governments such as Ghana and Senegal. There is one constitution and one set of laws and rules for ordinary people, and quite other for the ruling family and the politically connected elite. The third section deals with the post-colonial period and discusses some problems associated with African administration. Government as a Structural Element of Society 2.2. However, almost invariably the same functions, whether or not formally defined and characterized in the same terms or exercised in the same manner, are also performed by traditional institutions and their leaders. Hoover Education Success Initiative | The Papers. Rule that is based on predation and political monopoly is unlikely to enjoy genuine popular legitimacy, but it can linger for decades unless there are effective countervailing institutions and power centers. In Sierra Leone, for example, approximately 85% of the population falls under the jurisdiction of customary law, defined under the constitution as the rules of law which, by custom, are applicable to particular communities in Sierra Leone. Finally, the chapter considers the future of the institution against the background of the many issues and challenges considered. Note: The term rural population is used as a proxy for the population operating under traditional economic systems. This proposal will be subject to a referendum on the constitutional changes required.16.2e 2.4 Traditional leadership Traditional leaders are accorded Such adjustments, however, may require contextualization of the institutions of democracy by adjusting these institutions to reflect African realities. 7. A more recent example of adaptive resilience is being demonstrated by Ethiopias Abiy Ahmed. The Chinese understand the basics. This study notes that in 2007 Africa saw 12 conflicts in 10 countries. In the centralized systems also, traditional leaders of various titles were reduced to chiefs and the colonial state modified notably the relations between the chiefs and their communities by making the chiefs accountable to the colonial state rather than to their communities (Coplan & Quinlan, 1997). That is, each society had a set of rules, laws, and traditions, sometimes called customs, that established how the people would live together peacefully as part of larger group. In other words, the transition from traditional modes of production to a capitalist economic system has advanced more in some countries than in others. This is in part because the role of traditional leaders has changed over time. This can happen in several ways. The means by which the traditional government reached out to her subjects varied from sounds, signs to symbol, and the central disseminator was the "town crier". Ethiopias monarchy ended in 1974 while the other three remain, with only the king of Swaziland enjoying absolute power. The kings and chiefs of Angola and Asante, for example, allowed European merchants to send their representatives to their courts. Executive, legislative, and judicial functions are generally attributed by most modern African constitutions to presidents and prime ministers, parliaments, and modern judiciaries. One snapshot by the influential Mo Ibrahim index of African Governance noted in 2015 that overall governance progress in Africa is stalling, and decided not to award a leadership award that year. To complicate matters further, the role of traditional institutions is likely to be critical in addressing the problem of institutional fragmentation. Challenges confronting the institution of chieftaincy have continued from the colonial era into recent times. In Module Seven A: African History, you explored the histories of a wide diversity of pre-colonial African societies. The selection, however, is often from the children of a chief. The features associated with this new form of governmental administration deal with smaller government responsibility for providing goods and services. Following decolonization, several African countries attempted to abolish aspects of the traditional institutional systems. Understanding the Gadaa System. The Pre-Colonial Period: From the Ashes of Pharaohs to the Berlin Conference At the end of the prehistoric period (10 000 BC), some African nomadic bands began to The fourth part draws a conclusion with a tentative proposal on how the traditional institutions might be reconciled with the formal institutions to address the problem of institutional incoherence. However, the traditional modes of production and the institutional systems associated with them also remain entrenched among large segments of the population. Command economies, as opposed to free-market economies, do not allow market forces like supply and demand to determine production or prices. Of the latter, 10 achieved the top rating of free, a conclusion close to ratings by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).9 A more bullish reading drawn again from multiple sources is that over 60% of people in sub-Saharan Africa live in free or partly free countries, a situation that enabled a Brookings Institution study to conclude that the region [is] moving in fits and starts towards greater democratic consolidation.10 Countries absent from the apparent democratic wave missed its beginnings in the early and mid-1990s, became caught up in protracted or recurrent civil conflicts, or degenerated as a result of electoral violence or big men patrimonialism. 2. 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. A key factor in the size of adherents of rural institutions, however, seems to depend on the ratio of the population in the traditional economic systems to the total population. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. Thus, despite abolition efforts by postcolonial states and the arguments against the traditional institutions in the literature, the systems endure and remain rather indispensable for the communities in traditional economic systems. Leaders may not be the only ones who support this definition of legitimacy. The institution of traditional leadership in Africa pre-existed both the colonial and apartheid systems and was the only known system of governance among indigenous people. Political and economic inclusion is the companion requirement for effective and legitimate governance. "Law" in traditional Africa includes enforceable traditions, customs, and laws. A related reason for their relevance is that traditional institutions, unlike the state, provide rural communities the platform to participate directly in their own governance. Beyond such macro factors, several less obvious variables seem important to the political and economic governance future of the region. The colonial state, for example, invented chiefs where there were no centralized authority systems and imposed them on the decentralized traditional systems, as among the Ibo of Eastern Nigeria, the Tonga in Zambia, various communities in Kenya, and the communities in Somalia. In most African countries, constitutionally established authorities exercise the power of government alongside traditional authorities. Almost at a stroke, the relationships between African governments and the major powers and major sources of concessional finance were upended, while political liberalization in the former Soviet bloc helped to trigger global political shock waves. 28, (1984) pp. To illustrate, when there are 2.2 billion Africans, 50% of whom live in cities, how will those cities (and surrounding countryside) be governed? The African Charter embodies some of the human . Institutional dichotomy also seems to be a characteristic of transitional societies, which are between modes of production. However, three countries, Botswana, Somaliland, and South Africa, have undertaken differing measures with varying levels of success. Evidence from case studies, however, suggests that the size of adherents varies from country to country. Both can be identified as forms of governance. Analysis here is thus limited to traditional authority systems under the postcolonial experience. Against this broad picture, what is striking is the more recent downward trend in democratic governance in Africa and the relative position of African governance when viewed on a global basis. You cant impose middle class values on a pre-industrial society.13. A second attribute is the participatory decision-making system. Council of elders: These systems essentially operate on consensual decision-making arrangements that vary from one place to another. In Ghana, for example, local governance is an area where traditional leadership and the constitutional government sometimes lock horns. Traditional leaders often feel left out when the government takes decisions affecting their people and land without their consent or involvement. However, there are customs and various arrangements that restrain their power. Perhaps a more realistic transitional approach would be to reconcile the parallel institutions while simultaneously pursuing policies that transform traditional economic systems. In some cases, community elders select future Sultanes at a young age and groom them for the position. Today, the five most common government systems include democracy, republic, monarchy, communism and . One layer represents the formal institutions (laws) of the state. Issues of corruption and transparency are likely to become driving themes in African politics. Printed from Oxford Research Encyclopedias, Politics. The government is undertaking a review of local government, which includes a commitment to introduce direct election of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs). Large segments of the rural populations, the overwhelming majority in most African countries, continue to adhere principally to traditional institutions. 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. Three layers of institutions characterize most African countries. At times, these traditional security system elements are sufficient enough for some uses, but there's certainly no denying . Many others choose the customary laws and conflict resolution mechanisms because they correspond better to their way of life. Before delving into the inquiry, clarification of some issues would be helpful in avoiding confusion. Transforming the traditional economic system is also likely to require embracing and utilizing the traditional institutional systems as vehicles for the provision of public services.