Political System In Africa

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1. Introduction Africa at least for more than half of century was the condominium of the West except its two parts: Ethiopia and Liberia. Before colonization African societies has lived in state or stateless societies. The society has its own political structure. Those society formed patrimonial political system. Mean a while officially the Europe started colonization in Africa around 1870s. The Europe exploited resources and alienated Africans from any kind of rights. Then the different groups, civil societies, national movement and black elites (Who worked in Western bureaucracy) haul revolt. Historically the incident of First World War and Second World War after 1990s strength their movements by undersized Westerns either economically or…show more content…
Wells (2005) contends that prior to the arrival of Europeans, Xhosa, Sotho, and Zulu peoples and groups had well-developed social and political structures. Their political systems were based around political authorities ranging from family units to “autonomous chiefdoms. It is thorny to say those ethnic groups leader were autocratic. The reason is that leaders in these political systems spent much of their time through peaceful discussion, consensus or ideational argument and regulating personal affairs. Leader gave “time in the open-air meeting place near his personal hut” and was regulating the “affairs of his people, listening to complaints, and receiving visitors (Jason M. Wells, 2005:pp.171-172). The governing power of these leaders was, by necessity and custom, perimeter. And there was not an enforcement mechanism in these communities, so the chief relied upon the cooperation of the community. It is possible to bring to a close that in loose sense those groups were…show more content…
This political culture was dominant in the region for over three decades. It was an authoritarian political culture of sorts. The single party would exercise unfettered political hegemony over the state and society and it would also subsume organs of civil society such as trade unions and farmers' associations under its hegemonic political wings. It aims to maintain national building and Unity. But later some African countries introduce with liberal democracy with multi-party system. Dealing with South Africa at the time of apartheid almost for 40 years NP was stayed in power as the dominance one party even UP has come as its antagonist. But around 1980s and 1990s, Mamogale (n.d), argues that many African states adopted a multiparty democracy based on two distinct systems of governance: parliamentary and presidential . Countries, such as South Africa has adopted a parliamentary system of governance with multi-party system. These political changes were brought up by the political parties, which were seen then as liberation movements

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