Dynamism in Precolonial African Society Research Paper - 1

Dynamism in Precolonial African Society - Research Paper Example This essay declares that the societies of Africa, thrust into democratic setups, have been unable to function as smoothly as they did under indigenous forms of governance. This is not to suggest that democracy is not a workable form of governance in Africa. However, the transition was not effected in a very scientific manner and there was a great resistance from the ancient forms of social structuring. The power and dynamism of these social orders can be seen in the resistance to sudden and imposed change that they offer. The tribal forms of governance in African societies were in many ways, examples of a smooth and efficient from of democracy. While they were not completely democratic by any stretch of imagination, they did offer certain strengths to women and marginalized sections of the society in ways that Western society never has. They also offered means of redressal for people who had been wronged in ways that were quick and efficient. In many colonized societies a quick and s mooth system of justice was often replaced by Western systems of law that failed to work as effectively in these societies. They were unable to dispense justice in quick and efficient ways. This paper makes a conclusion that Africa has been referred to as the ‘dark continent’. This epithet has obviously racist connotations. It also designates the continent as one which was always ignorant of civilized ways of being. The dynamic and robust structuring of precolonial African societies belies these views.