Their endurance and coexistence with the institutions of the state has created an institutional dichotomy in much of Africa. The quality and durability of such leader-defined adaptive resilience cannot be assured and can be reversed unless the associated norms become institutionalized. Africa contains more sovereign nations than any other continent, with 54 countries compared to Asia's 47. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a single article for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice). 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. 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). Prominent among these Sudanic states was the Soninke Kingdom of Ancient Ghana. It may be good to note, as a preliminary, that African political systems of the past dis played considerable variety. One of these will be the role and weight of various powerful external actors. Tribe Versus Ethnic Group. A more recent argument is that traditional institutions are incompatible with economic, social, and civil rights (Chirayath, Sage, & Woolcock, 2005). Figure 1 captures this turn to authoritarianism in postindependence Africa. 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. This is done through the enforcement agencies such as the police force. Recent developments add further complications to the region: (a) the collapse of Libya after 2011, spreading large quantities of arms and trained fighters across the broader Sahel region; (b) the gradual toll of desertification placing severe pressure on traditional herder/farmer relationships in places like Sudan and Nigeria; and, (c) the proliferation of local IS or Al Qaeda franchises in remote, under-governed spaces. Yet, the traditional judicial system in most cases operates outside of the states institutional framework. Executive, legislative, and judicial functions are generally attributed by most modern African constitutions to presidents and prime ministers, parliaments, and modern judiciaries. It seems clear that Africas conflict burden declined steadily after the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s owing to successful peace processes outstripping the outbreak of new conflicts; but the burden has been spiking up again since then. States would be more effective in reforming the traditional judicial system if they recognized them rather than neglecting them, as often is the case. 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. On the other hand, weak or destructive governance is sometimes the source of conflicts in the first place. Perhaps one of the most serious shared weakness relates to gender relations. Misguided policies at the national level combined with cultural constraints facing these social groups may increase exclusion and create seeds of future trouble. The traditional African religions (or traditional beliefs and practices of African people) are a set of highly diverse beliefs that include various ethnic religions . Enlightened leaders face a more complex version of the same challenge: how to find and mobilize the resources for broad-based inclusiveness? Since then, many more have been formulated, but the main themes and ideas have remained. Understanding the Gadaa System. 2007 Relevance of African Traditional Institutions of Governance 28, (1984) pp. Introduction. Many others choose the customary laws and conflict resolution mechanisms because they correspond better to their way of life. 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. Under conditions where nation-building is in a formative stage, the retribution-seeking judicial system and the winner-take-all multiparty election systems often lead to combustible conditions, which undermine the democratization process. The initial constitutions and legal systems were derived from the terminal colonial era. At times, devolution has had major fiscal and governance consequences, including serving as a vehicle for co-option and corruption. Poor statesociety relations and weak state legitimacy: Another critical outcome of institutional fragmentation and institutional detachment of the state from the overwhelming majority of the population is weak legitimacy of the state (Englebert, 2000). 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. In the postcolonial era, their roles changed again. 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). In this view, nations fail because of extractive economic and political institutions that do not provide incentives for growth and stability. In other cases, however, they survived as paid civil servants of the state without displacing the traditional elder-based traditional authority systems. PDF Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since - EOLSS Contents 1. Abstract. FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT. Unlike the laws of the state, traditional institutions rarely have the coercive powers to enforce their customary laws. There is a basic distinction between those systems with a centralized authority exercised through the machinery of government and those without any such authority in which . Another common feature is the involvement of traditional authorities in the governance process, at least at the local level. Issues of corruption and transparency are likely to become driving themes in African politics. During the colonial period, "tribe" was used to identify specific cultural and political groups in much the same way as "nation" is defined above. To illustrate, when there are 2.2 billion Africans, 50% of whom live in cities, how will those cities (and surrounding countryside) be governed? It is also challenging to map them out without specifying their time frame. For Acemoglu and Robinson, such turning points occur in specific, unique historical circumstances that arise in a societys development. Furthermore, for generations, Africans were taught the Western notion of the tribe as . As institutional scholars state, institutional incompatibility leads to societal conflicts by projecting different laws governing societal interactions (Eisenstadt, 1968; Helmke & Levitsky, 2004; March & Olsen, 1984; North, 1990; Olsen, 2007). The nature of governance is central because it determines whether the exercise of authority is viewed as legitimate. African Governance: Challenges and Their Implications The link was not copied. Another category of chiefs is those who theoretically are subject to selection by the community. Land privatization is, thus, unworkable in pastoral communities, as communal land ownership would be unworkable in a capitalist economy. No doubt rural communities participate in elections, although they are hardly represented in national assemblies by people from their own socioeconomic space. This enhanced his authority. African indigenous education was. A third objective is to examine the relevance of traditional institutions. Consequently, national and regional governance factors interact continuously. 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. The movement towards a formal state system is characterized by its emphasis on retribution and punishment. Indications are, however, that the more centralized the system is, the lower the accountability and popular participation in decision making. This outline leads us to examine more closely the sources of legitimacy in African governance systems. African countries are characterized by fragmentation of various aspects of their political economy, including their institutions of governance. These features include nonprofits, non-profits and hybrid entities are now provide goods and services that were once delivered by the government. 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. With respect to their relevance, traditional institutions remain indispensable for several reasons. Regional governance comes into play here, and certain precedents may get set and then ratified by regional or sub-regional organizations. Allocation of resources, such as land, is also much more egalitarian under the traditional system than it is under the private ownership system in the formal state system. Democracy, Monarchy and Dictatorship: Types of Government Systems Learn more about joining the community of supporters and scholars working together to advance Hoovers mission and values. Public Administration and Traditional Administrative System in Africa The reasons why rural communities adhere to the traditional institutions are many (Logan, 2011; Mengisteab & Hagg, 2017). 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. Even so, customary law still exerts a strong . The usual plethora of bour- 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. Pre-colonial Political System In Nigeria (Yoruba Traditional System) However, at the lower level of the hierarchy of the centralized system, the difference between the centralized and decentralized systems tends to narrow notably. 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. PDF The Local Government System in Ghana - Clgf The jury is still out on the merits of this practice. The population in the traditional system thus faces a vicious cycle of deprivation. PDF Traditional Leaders In Modern Africa: Can Democracy And The - ETH Z Chiefs administer land and people, contribute to the creation of rules that regulate the lives of those under their jurisdiction, and are called on to solve disputes among their subjects. Rather, they often rely on voluntary compliance, although they also apply some soft power to discourage noncompliance by members with customary laws. The same factors that hinder nation-building hinder democratization. Some regimes seem resilient because of their apparent staying power but actually have a narrow base of (typically ethnic or regional) support. Our data indicate that traditional leaders, chiefs and elders clearly still play an important role in the lives Features Of Traditional Government Administration. African political elites are more determined than ever to shape their own destiny, and they are doing so. Leaders may not be the only ones who support this definition of legitimacy. Such post-electoral pacts reflect the conclusion that stability is more important than democracy. 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. 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. African traditional administrative system with bureaucratization in the emerged new states of Africa. In many tribes, the chief was the representative of the ancestors. These consisted of monarchy, aristocracy and polity. 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. 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. 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. 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? Suggested Citation, 33 West 60th StreetNew York, NY 10023United States, Public International Law: Sources eJournal, Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic, Political Institutions: Parties, Interest Groups & Other Political Organizations eJournal, Political Institutions: Legislatures eJournal, We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. Indigenous African Education - 2392 Words | Studymode On the one hand, traditional institutions are highly relevant and indispensable, although there are arguments to the contrary (see Mengisteab & Hagg [2017] for a summary of such arguments). However, institutions are rarely static and they undergo changes induced by internal transformations of broader socioeconomic systems or by external influences or imposition, and in some cases by a combination of the two forces. Types of Government in Africa - Synonym These circumstances can generate an authoritarian reflex and the temptation to circle the wagons against all sources of potential opposition. for in tradi-tional African communities, politics and religion were closely associated. 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. On the other hand, their endurance creates institutional fragmentation that has adverse impacts on Africas governance and socioeconomic transformation. PDF Structure of Government - EOLSS . We do not yet know whether such institutions will consistently emerge, starting with relatively well-governed states, such as Ghana or Senegal, as a result of repeated, successful alternations of power; or whether they will only occur when Africas political systems burst apart and are reconfigured. Command economies, as opposed to free-market economies, do not allow market forces like supply and demand to determine production or prices. 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. The Boundaries of Tradition: An Examination of the Traditional This can happen in several ways. The role of traditional leaders in modern Africa, especially in modern African democracies, is complex and multifaceted. 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. 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. This fragmentation is also unlikely to go away anytime soon on its own. This section attempts to explain these seemingly contradictory implications of traditional institutions. Traditional Institutions and Governance in Modern African - SSRN Unfortunately, transforming the traditional sector is not an easy undertaking and cannot be achieved in a reasonably short time. In Igbo land for example the system of government was quite unique and transcends the democracy of America and Europe. Political leaders everywhere face competing demands in this regard. There are very few similarities between democracy and dictatorship. 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. Customary law, for example, does not protect communities from violations of their customary land rights through land-taking by the state. While traditional institutions remain indispensable for the communities operating under traditional economic systems, they also represent institutional fragmentation, although the underlying factor for fragmentation is the prevailing dichotomy of economic systems.
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