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 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. Institutions represent an enduring collection of formal laws and informal rules, customs, codes of conduct, and organized practices that shape human behavior and interaction. 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. Tribe Versus Ethnic Group. South Africas strategy revolves around recognition of customary law when it does not conflict with the constitution and involves traditional authorities in local governance. The same factors that hinder nation-building hinder democratization. America's flawed democracy: the five key areas where it - The Guardian Chieftaincy is further plagued with its own internal problems, including issues of relevance, succession, patriarchy, jurisdiction, corruption and intra-tribal conflict. There is little doubt that colonial occupation and the ensuing restructuring of African political entities and socioeconomic systems altered African traditional institutions of governance. There was a lot of consultation between the elders before any major decision was made. Legitimate authority, in turn, is based on accepted laws and norms rather than the arbitrary, unconstrained power of the rulers. 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. Abstract. Another basic question is, whom to include? African traditional institutions continue to exist in most African countries, albeit at different levels of adherence by the populations of the continent. In these relatively new nations, the critical task for leadership is to build a social contract that is sufficiently inclusive to permit the management of diversity. Both types of government can be effective or infective depending on . Ancient West Africa: Bantu Migrations & the Stateless Society 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. 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. In some societies, traditional, tribal authorities may offer informed and genuinely accepted governance, provided that they are not merely government appointees pursuing decentralized self-enrichment. While this seems obvious, it is less clear what vectors and drivers will have the most weight in shaping that outcome. . 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. They dispense justice, resolve conflicts, and enforce contracts, even though such services are conducted in different ways in different authority systems. However, the traditional modes of production and the institutional systems associated with them also remain entrenched among large segments of the population. PDF African Traditional Justice Systems Francis Kariuki* 1.1 Introduction Perhaps a more realistic transitional approach would be to reconcile the parallel institutions while simultaneously pursuing policies that transform traditional economic systems. Unlike the laws of the state, traditional institutions rarely have the coercive powers to enforce their customary laws. Issues of corruption and transparency are likely to become driving themes in African politics. Additionally, the transaction costs for services provided by the traditional institutions are much lower than the services provided by the state. In any case, as . Africa's tumultuous political history has resulted in extreme disparities between the wealth and stability of its countries. A Sociology of Education for Africa . for in tradi-tional African communities, politics and religion were closely associated. Chiefs such as those of the Nuer and Dinka are examples of this category. Because these governmental institutions reject the indigenous political systems on which African society was built, they have generally failed to bring political . Their "rediscovery" in modern times has led to an important decolonization of local and community management in order to pursue genuine self-determination. 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. Judicial marginalization: Another challenge posed by institutional fragmentation relates to marginalization of the traditional system within the formal legal system. Enlightened leaders face a more complex version of the same challenge: how to find and mobilize the resources for broad-based inclusiveness? Cold War geopolitics reinforced in some ways the state-society gap as the global rivalry tended to favor African incumbents and frequently assured they would receive significant assistance from external powers seeking to build diplomatic ties with the new states. 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). Maintenance of law and order: the primary and most important function of the government is to maintain law and order in a state. They succeed when there are political conditions that permit a broad coalition to impose pluralist political institutions and limits and restraints on ruling elites.20 Thus, resilience of both state and society may hinge in the end on the rule of law replacing the rule of men. We know a good deal about what Africans want and demand from their governments from public opinion surveys by Afrobarometer. Other governance systems in the post-independence era and their unique features, if any. No doubt rural communities participate in elections, although they are hardly represented in national assemblies by people from their own socioeconomic space. Customary law also manages land tenure and land allocation patterns. 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. Paramount chieftaincy as a system of local government African political systems are described in a number of textbooks and general books on African history. Oromos are one of the largest ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa belonging to the Cushitic-speaking peoples in Northeastern Africa in general and in modern Ethiopia and Kenya in particular. Types of Government in Africa - Synonym Sometimes, another precedent flows from thesenamely, pressure from outside the country but with some support internally as well for creating a transitional government of national unity. The imperative for inclusion raises many questions: should the priority be to achieve inclusion of diverse elites, of ethnic and confessional constituencies, of a sample of grass roots opinion leaders? These communities select the Aba Gada, who serves a nonrenewable term of 8 years as leader. Traditional Types of Government: Definitions, Strengths & Weaknesses 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. A Functional Approach to define Government 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. 15 Facts on African Religions The Interfaith Observer 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. This study notes that in 2007 Africa saw 12 conflicts in 10 countries. f Basic Features cont. Given its institutional disconnect with the state, the traditional sector and the communities that operate under it invariably face marginalization in influencing policy as well as in access to economic resources throughout the continent. There is also the question of inclusion of specific demographic cohorts: women, youth, and migrants from rural to urban areas (including migrant women) all face issues of exclusion that can have an impact on conflict and governance. Hoover scholars offer analysis of current policy challenges and provide solutions on how America can advance freedom, peace, and prosperity. 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. Another layer represents the societal norms and customs that differ along various cultural traits. They are already governing much of rural Africa. Since institutional fragmentation is a major obstacle to nation-building and democratization, it is imperative that African countries address it and forge institutional harmony. Despite undergoing changes, present-day African traditional institutions, namely the customary laws, the judicial systems and conflict resolution mechanisms, and the property rights and resource allocation practices, largely originate from formal institutions of governance that existed under precolonial African political systems. . The leaders in this system have significant powers, as they often are custodians of their communitys land and they dispense justice in their courts. 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. Changes in economic and political systems trigger the need for new institutional systems to manage the new economic and political systems, while endurance of economic and political systems foster durability of existing institutional systems. The essay concludes with a sobering reflection on the challenge of achieving resilient governance. African indigenous education was. All the characteristic features of a traditional society are, for obvious reasons, reflected in the education system. 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. 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. Democratic and dictatorial regimes both vest their authority in one person or a few individuals. References: Blakemore and Cooksey (1980). To learn more, visit In many tribes, the chief was the representative of the ancestors. In this regard, the president is both the head of state and government, and there are three arms and tiers of rules by which the country is ruled. 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). In the postcolonial era, their roles changed again. African Governance: Challenges and Their Implications. Stagnant economy, absence of diversification in occupational patterns and allegiance to traditionall these have a bearing on the system of education prevailing in these societies. The key lies in identifying the variables that will shape its context. Such post-electoral pacts reflect the conclusion that stability is more important than democracy. This enhanced his authority. The usual plethora of bour- A third layer lies between the other two layers and is referred to in this article as traditional institutions. In Africa, as in every region, it is the quality and characteristics of governance that shape the level of peace and stability and the prospects for economic development. In this context the chapter further touches on the compatibility of the institution of chieftaincy with constitutional principles such as equality, accountability, natural justice, good governance, and respect for fundamental human rights. 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). There are very few similarities between democracy and dictatorship. One can identify five bases of regime legitimacy in the African context today. 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. Leaders may not be the only ones who support this definition of legitimacy. Customary law, for example, does not protect communities from violations of their customary land rights through land-taking by the state. 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. Act,12 the African system of governance was changed and transformed, and new structures were put in place of old ones.13 Under the Union of South Africa, the Gov- One of these will be the role and weight of various powerful external actors. A more recent argument is that traditional institutions are incompatible with economic, social, and civil rights (Chirayath, Sage, & Woolcock, 2005). Invented chiefs and state-paid elders: These were chiefs imposed by the colonial state on decentralized communities without centralized authority systems. Stated another way, if the abolition of term limits, neo-patrimonialism, and official kleptocracy become a regionally accepted norm, this will make it harder for the better governed states to resist the authoritarian trend. South Africa has a mixed economy in which there is a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic . This study points to a marked increase in state-based conflicts, owing in significant part to the inter-mixture of Islamic State factions into pre-existing conflicts. Features Of Traditional Government Administration. Gadaa as an Alternative Understanding of Democracy in Africa African countries are characterized by fragmentation of various aspects of their political economy, including their institutions of governance. Oftentimes, however, they contradict each other, creating problems associated with institutional incoherence. Judicial Administration. Similarities between Democratic and Authoritarian Government. Communities like the Abagusii, Ameru, Akamba, Mijikenda, and Agikuyu in Kenya had this system of government. Discuss any similarities between the key features of the fourth Democracy, Monarchy and Dictatorship: Types of Government Systems The challenge facing Africas leadersperhaps above all othersis how to govern under conditions of ethnic diversity. The key . The post-colonial State, on the other hand . by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University. 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. In other words, the transition from traditional modes of production to a capitalist economic system has advanced more in some countries than in others. As noted, there are notable differences in the authority systems of African traditional institutions. 1. However, at the lower level of the hierarchy of the centralized system, the difference between the centralized and decentralized systems tends to narrow notably. Although much has been lost in the shadows and fogs of a time before people created written accounts, historians . However, the traditional judicial system has some weaknesses, especially with respect to gender equality. On the other hand, weak or destructive governance is sometimes the source of conflicts in the first place. The balance of power between official and non-official actors will likely shift, as networked activists assert their ability to organize and take to the streets on behalf of diverse causes.

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