Invented chiefs and state-paid elders: These were chiefs imposed by the colonial state on decentralized communities without centralized authority systems. 2. South Africa has a mixed economy in which there is a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic . 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. The terms Afrocentrism, Afrocology, and Afrocentricity were coined in the 1980s by the African American scholar and activist Molefi Asante. As noted, African countries have experienced the rise of the modern (capitalist) economic system along with its corresponding institutional systems. PDF Structure of Government - EOLSS Building an inclusive political system also raises the question of what levels of the society to include and how to assure that local communities as well as groups operating at the national level can get their voices heard. One can identify five bases of regime legitimacy in the African context today. Indigenous education is a process of passing the inherited knowledge, skills, cultural traditions norms and values of the tribe, among the tribal member from one generation to another Mushi (2009). Legitimate authority, in turn, is based on accepted laws and norms rather than the arbitrary, unconstrained power of the rulers. Highlight 5 features of government. Certain offences were regarded as serious offences. Government, Public Policy Performance, Types of Government. Following decolonization, several African countries attempted to abolish aspects of the traditional institutional systems. . Problems and Purpose. A strict democracy would enforce the "popular vote" total over the entire United States. Settling a case in an official court, for example, may involve long-distance travel for villagers and it may require lawyers, translators, a long wait, and court fees, while a traditional court rarely involves such costs and inconveniences. Comparing Ethiopia and Kenya, for example, shows that adherents to the traditional institutional system is greater in Ethiopia than in Kenya, where the ratio of the population operating in the traditional economic system is smaller and the penetration of the capitalist economic system in rural areas is deeper. Another category of chiefs is those who theoretically are subject to selection by the community. Even old-fashioned tyrants learn that inclusion or co-option are expensive. Yet political stability cannot be based on state power alone, except in the short run. During the colonial period, "tribe" was used to identify specific cultural and political groups in much the same way as "nation" is defined above. An analytical study and impact of colonialism on pre-colonial centralized and decentralized African Traditional and Political Systems. Chiefs with limited power: Another category of chiefs is those that are hereditary, like the paramount chiefs, but have limited powers. This is done through the enforcement agencies such as the police force. South Africas strategy revolves around recognition of customary law when it does not conflict with the constitution and involves traditional authorities in local governance. Examine the definitions, strengths, and weaknesses of several common governments: monarchy, theocracy . Constitutions of postcolonial states have further limited the power of chiefs. States would be more effective in reforming the traditional judicial system if they recognized them rather than neglecting them, as often is the case. Copy this link, or click below to email it to a friend. With respect to their relevance, traditional institutions remain indispensable for several reasons. 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. Form of State: Federal, Unitary or - Jerusalem Center for Public Other governance systems in the post-independence era and their unique features, if any. African Solutions for African Problems - The Real Meaning The pre-colonial system in Yoruba can be described to be democratic because of the inclusion of the principle of checks and balances that had been introduced in the system of administration. The Aqils (elders) of Somalia and the chiefs in Kenya are good examples. A more recent example of adaptive resilience is being demonstrated by Ethiopias Abiy Ahmed. The settlement of conflicts and disputes in such consensus-based systems involves narrowing of differences through negotiations rather than through adversarial procedures that produce winners and losers. The structures of leadership of African traditional institutions are diverse and they have yet to be mapped out comprehensively. Institutional systems emanate from the broader economic and political systems, although they also affect the performance of the economic and political systems. The abolishment of chieftaincy does not eradicate the systems broader underlying features, such as customary law, decision-making systems, and conflict resolution practices. Virtually every group was involved in the . Ndlela (2007: 34) confirms that traditional leaders continue to enjoy their role and recognition in the new dispensation, just like in other African states; and Good (2002: 3) argues that the system of traditional leadership in Botswana exists parallel to the democratic system of government and the challenge is of forging unity. How these differences in leadership structures impinge on the broader institutions of resources allocation patterns, judicial systems, and decision-making and conflict resolution mechanisms is still understudied. 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? List of African Union member states by political system For example, is it more effective to negotiate a power-sharing pact among key parties and social groups (as in Kenya) or is there possible merit in a periodic national dialogue to address issues that risk triggering conflict? 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. Unlike the laws of the state, traditional institutions rarely have the coercive powers to enforce their customary laws. 2007 Relevance of African Traditional Institutions of Governance These migrations resulted in part from the formation and disintegration of a series of large states in the western Sudan (the region north of modern Ghana drained by the Niger River). 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. But established and recognized forms of inherited rule cannot be lightly dismissed as un-modern, especially when linked to the identity of an ethnic or tribal group, and could be construed as a building block of legitimacy. PDF African Governance Systems in the Pre and Post-Independence Periods It considers the nature of the state in sub-Saharan Africa and why its state structures are generally weaker than elsewhere in the world. By the mid-1970s, the politics of Africa had turned authoritarian. 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. Introduction: The Meaning of the Concept Government 1.1. It also develops a theoretical framework for the . There is no more critical variable than governance, for it is governance that determines whether there are durable links between the state and the society it purports to govern. Democracy, Monarchy and Dictatorship: Types of Government Systems These include macro variables such as educational access (especially for women), climate change impact and mitigation, development and income growth rates, demographic trends, internet access, urbanization rates, and conflict events. Most of the states that had attempted to abolish chieftaincy have retracted the abolitionist decrees and reinstated chiefs. In this paper, I look first at the emergence of the African state system historically, including colonial legacies and the Cold Wars impact on governance dynamics. Such chiefs also have rather limited powers. 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 colonial system constitutes the second section. In addition to these measures, reconciling fragmented institutions would be more successful when governments invest more resources in transforming the traditional socioeconomic space. The selection, however, is often from the children of a chief. These communities select the Aba Gada, who serves a nonrenewable term of 8 years as leader. Consequently, national and regional governance factors interact continuously. However, their participation in the electoral process has not enabled them to influence policy, protect their customary land rights, and secure access to public services that would help them overcome their deprivation. Three layers of institutions characterize most African countries. Enlightened leaders face a more complex version of the same challenge: how to find and mobilize the resources for broad-based inclusiveness? Good and inclusive governance is imperative for Africa's future Lawmaking: government makes laws to regulate the behavior of its citizens. The parallel institutional systems often complement each other in the continents contemporary governance. 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. Africa: Government and Political Systems - Geography 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. However, three countries, Botswana, Somaliland, and South Africa, have undertaken differing measures with varying levels of success. Others choose the traditional institutions, for example, in settling disputes because of lower transactional costs. The Ibo village assembly in eastern Nigeria, the Eritrean village Baito (assembly), the council of elders (kiama) of the Kikuyu in Kenya, and the kaya elders of the Mijikenda in the coast of Kenya are among well-known examples where decisions are largely made in a consensual manner of one kind or another (Andemariam, 2017; Mengisteab, 2003). 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. Ancient West Africa: Bantu Migrations & the Stateless Society The most promising pattern is adaptive resilience in which leaders facing such pressures create safety valves or outlets for managing social unrest. The usual plethora of bour- Another basic question is, whom to include? Keywords: Legal Pluralism, African Customary Law, Traditional Leadership, Chieftaincy, Formal Legal System Relationship With, Human Rights, Traditional Norms, Suggested Citation: 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. To illustrate, when there are 2.2 billion Africans, 50% of whom live in cities, how will those cities (and surrounding countryside) be governed? Command economies, as opposed to free-market economies, do not allow market forces like supply and demand to determine production or prices. It is also highly unlikely that such broader aspects of traditional institutions can be eliminated without transforming the traditional modes of production that foster them. 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. 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. Both can be identified as forms of governance. There are several types of government systems in African politics: in an absolute monarchy, the head of state and head of government is a monarch with unlimited legal authority,; in a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is a ceremonial figurehead who has few political competences,; in a presidential system, the president is the head of state and head of government, Relatively unfettered access to the internet via smart phones and laptops brings informationand hence potential powerto individuals and groups about all kinds of things: e.g., market prices, the views of relatives in the diaspora, conditions in the country next door, and the self-enrichment of corrupt officials. The third section deals with the post-colonial period and discusses some problems associated with African administration. Perhaps one of the most serious shared weakness relates to gender relations. 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. 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. The differences are in terms of how leaders come to assume their positions, how much power they command, and how accountable they are to their communities. Chester A. Crocker is the James R. Schlesinger Professor of Strategic Studies at Georgetown University. On the one side, there are the centralized systems where leaders command near absolute power. Traditional Governance Systems - Participedia Many others choose the customary laws and conflict resolution mechanisms because they correspond better to their way of life. These features include nonprofits, non-profits and hybrid entities are now provide goods and services that were once delivered by the government. The nature of governance is central because it determines whether the exercise of authority is viewed as legitimate. These consisted of monarchy, aristocracy and polity. Precolonial Political Systems - African Studies - Oxford Bibliographies These dynamics often lead to increased state fragility or the re-authoritarianization of once more participatory governance systems.12 The trend is sometimes, ironically, promoted by western firms and governments more interested in commercial access and getting along with existing governments than with durable political and economic development. The quality and durability of such leader-defined adaptive resilience cannot be assured and can be reversed unless the associated norms become institutionalized. Rather, they often rely on voluntary compliance, although they also apply some soft power to discourage noncompliance by members with customary laws. One layer represents the formal institutions (laws) of the state. Judicial Administration. 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. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. Traditional Types of Government: Definitions, Strengths & Weaknesses Evidence from case studies, however, suggests that the size of adherents varies from country to country.
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